The veteran Sudanese journalist Mahjoub Mohamed Salih has passed away at the age of 95 in Cairo, Egypt, sparking an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and admirers.
South Sudanese and Sudanese journalists flooded social media with messages of grief, honoring the memory of Salih, a media pioneer who established Sudan’s oldest independent newspaper, Al-Ayyam, in 1958.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Sudan’s journalism dean, Mahjoub Mohamed Salih, a stalwart advocate for peace, justice, democracy, and human rights,” journalist Isma’il Kushkush wrote in tribute.
Salih began his journalism career in 1949 while participating in Sudan’s independence movement from Egypt. He gained prominence for his coverage of the conflict in Darfur, western Sudan, starting in 2003.
The Sudanese government shut down Al-Ayaam temporarily from November 2003 to January 2004, citing tax payment issues related to the newspaper’s reporting on the Darfur crisis.
Salih faced imprisonment multiple times due to his reporting on the war. In 2005, he was honored with the Golden Pen of Freedom Award by the World Association of Newspapers.
Sumaya Elmatbagi, a former reporter at Al-Ayyam, expressed her sorrow over the loss of her former editor-in-chief in a poignant message.
“You departed without farewell, even to the homeland you cherished, fought for, and dedicated your life to. You left without finishing the tale of your beloved Bahari city, far from the land you loved, Sudan,” Elmatbagi wrote.
“Though you are gone, the echoes of your voice continue to beckon us to the ideals of freedom, peace, humanity, and dignity. We mourn your loss. We will not forget you, Mahjoub Mohamed Salih, father and friend of journalists.”