Sudanese Journalists Hold Memorial for the Late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh in Kampala
moatinoon
Journalists in Sudan organized a memorial on Wednesday for the late Professor Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, the dean of Sudanese journalism, at Dar Tayba Press in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The event was hosted by the Sudanese Journalists Union, Tayba Press Center, and Al-Ayyam Center, attended by a group of colleagues and journalists.
The Sudanese Journalists Union had previously announced the postponement of the memorial for the late Professor Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, originally scheduled for Thursday at the Graduates House in the city of Port Sudan in the eastern part of the country. The union cited security clearance procedures, described as unprecedented, as the reason for the delay.
Speakers at the memorial highlighted the role of the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh in supporting journalism and journalists, his efforts in uniting them, and his commitment to forming a unified journalists union, which ultimately led to the successful election of the current Sudanese Journalists Union. They spoke about his dedication to the cause and the respect he earned from everyone.
Abdelmoneim Abu Idris, the head of the Sudanese Journalists Union, emphasized that the establishment of a union for Sudanese journalists was one of the major concerns of the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh. He continued to work towards its formation over time, noting his initiative to bring together various journalistic entities before the establishment of the union. Abu Idris also mentioned the dozens of meetings held at Al-Ayyam Center, where efforts were coordinated to organize journalists elections and form the union.
Abu Idris revealed that the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh served as the secretary of the Sudanese Journalists Union in 1953, and although the records of those elections were deposited in the Archives, their fate is currently unknown due to the ongoing war. However, the current union retains a digital copy of those records.
Faisal Mohamed Saleh, a journalist and former Minister of Information, spoke about the accomplishments of the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh, emphasizing the respect he garnered even from those who disagreed with him politically. He recounted an incident when the then Minister of Information, Zahawi Ibrahim Malik, expressed surprise upon learning about the arrest of the dean while he was preparing to submit a memorandum on behalf of journalists to Parliament regarding the Press Law issued in 2005. This incident reflects the acknowledgment of the wisdom and rationality of the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh.
Mohamed Latif, the director of Tayba Press, expressed regret that the late Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh was not given a proper funeral befitting his status. He noted that the late dean would remain a significant figure in Sudanese public life, as he was not only a journalist but also a torch of activity and patriotism. Mohamed urged journalists to follow in his footsteps, embracing his values and principles in loyalty to him and Sudanese journalism.
