South Sudan Council of States lawmaker passes on

November 8, 2022 (JUBA) – John Masua Mandaza, a South Sudanese lawmaker, has died.

Masua, a Council of States lawmaker, passed on from Abyei region on Monday.

He was a member of the committee established to investigate the Ngok-Twic conflict.

“He was okay on Sunday.  He was on the committee and we met with the authorities. He was normal. He did not complain about anybody in the body. He was also looking fine and nothing shows he has a problem.  The issue started on Monday morning and when it became a concern, I decided he needs to be given attention and care at a medical facility with advanced services. There was no such place in the area except the facility run by UNISFA,” said Angelo Beda, head of the parliamentary committee dispatched to Abyei.

He added, “We asked the authorities and our request was granted and he was taken. Unfortunately, the situation went out of control he died”.

Beda described the deceased as an honest and hardworking member of the committee.

“It is unfortunate that one of the members of the team is lost but it will not affect the process. We pray that his departure on this fact-finding mission brings peace, harmony, and peaceful coexistence between these brothers and sisters,” he said.

The 73-year old lawmaker hailing from South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State became an army officer in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) after the signing of the 1972 peace agreement, which allowed the integration of some of the rebel fighters.

He served in Sudan’s ex-President Omar al-Bashir’s regime and was appointed Western Equatoria State before the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005.

(ST)