The administration of Lakes State has glaringly mistaken the 10^th independence anniversary of South Sudan for the martyrs’ day which is celebrated on July 30^th every year.

A viral letter signed by Manyang Aruor Yuol, the Director-General at the Ministry of Labour, Public Service & Human Resource Development calls on the general public, NGOs, and UN agencies to stay home and honor the day the country’s forefathers were killed.

“In pursuance to the Republic of South Sudan’s Calendar, However, the Ministry of Labour, Public Service, and Human Resource Development is hereby informing all the Civil Service Institutions, Commissions, UN Agencies, International and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Public at large that Friday 9^th/July/2021 is a martyr’s day, the day when the founding chairman of SPLM party died in a plane crash,” the statement partly reads.

The document further says the offices should remain closed as everyone in the State, regardless of nationality, must honor the forefathers.

“Therefore, the day is marked for the commemoration of all the martyrs in the Republic of South Sudan annually, so the Ministry is hereby directing all of you to observe this important day because all the offices will remain closed till they resume on Monday 12^th /July 2021,” it continues.

South Sudan got its independence on 9^th July 2011 and the day is commemorated every year. It is unclear what went wrong within the internal setup of the Lakes State government.

The country’s 10^th independence anniversary is up on Friday this week.