South Sudan water minister dies in Egypt

South Sudan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Manawa Peter Gatkuoth Gual has died in a hospital in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, South Sudan’s government has announced.

First Vice-President Riek Machar said the minister was flown to Egypt on Friday after developing chest pains in the capital, Juba.

He underwent surgery on Saturday and died at 05:00 local time on Sunday, Mr Machar said.

“Mr Manawa was a strong student leader during his university days as well as a leader in the youth movement in Sudan. He was a committed nationalist. He was a strong believer in reforms in the Republic of South Sudan,” Mr Machar said in a condolence message to the family.

In his condolence message, President Salva Kiir said he received the news of the death of Mr Manawa with “profound sorrow.”

The late minister was also a member of the political bureau of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO).

His father, the late Peter Gatkuoth Gual, was a prominent South Sudanese politician.

Source: BBC