Timothy Taban Juch

A Lou Nuer, Taban was a commander in the majority-Nuer South Sudan Liberation Movement (SSLM) during the Second Sudanese Civil War.^[1] Taban's forces were based in the Akobo area and fought with the Sudan People's Liberation Army for control of the town.^[2]

Taban was the Jonglei State minister for information and communication before the independence of South Sudan.^[3] Taban ran as an independent in the 2010 Southern Sudanese general election, beating SPLM candidate John Luk Jok to become the member of parliament (MP) for Akobo South.^[4] While serving as a MP, he was appointed the commissioner of Akobo County in 2014.^[5] Taban then became the deputy governor of Eastern Bieh State,^[6] and was appointed governor of Akobo State on August 19, 2019 after the death of Johnson Gony Bilieu on July 4, 2019.^[7][8] Taban appointed his cabinet on September 25, 2019.^[9] During his time as governor, severe floods in the state led to food insecurity and caused some residents to flee to Bieh State.^[10][11]