Ex-Western Equatoria governor and veteran lawmaker dies while on peace mission

JUBA – A former governor for Western Equatoria state has passed on while on a peace mission as a part of a facts-finding committee dispatched by President Salva Kiir Mayardit to the disputed Abyei region over the Twic-Ngok conflict.

John Masua Mandaza who was until his death on Monday a member of the Council of States was representing Western Equatoria State and a fifth member of the country’s transitional national legislature to die in less than two months.

He was 73. Family member quote by Eye Radio say his body would be flown to Juba on Monday evening. It remains unclear if that has yet taken place. His funeral is expected to be conducted at the Rainbow Playground in the next few days.

Mandaza was a prominent member of the Sudanese government under then President Omar al Bashir until the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and was, prior to that, a senior officer of the Anyanya-I rebel movement.

He became a senior commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces following the signing of the Addis Ababa peace agreement before his appointment as governor of Western Equatoria State and a member of the Council of States following the signing of the comprehensive peace agreement.

The cause of the veteran parliamentarian’s death was unclear, but officials within the investigation committee tasked by the president to said his health condition was good when he left the capital Juba last week.