JUBA — The Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Maj. Gen. George Aggrey Owinow, on Thursday described late former finance minister Kosti Manibe Ngai as a dedicated public servant, paying tribute to his contribution to South Sudan’s peace process and public service.
Manibe, a veteran politician, died on 11 August 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, at the age of 78 after a long illness related to heart disease.
He died at M.P. Shah Hospital in Nairobi after being admitted for treatment, according to his wife, Rev. Nediye Gone.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Gen. Aggrey, head of peace monitors, said Manibe’s death was a loss to the country, describing him as a committed public servant who devoted much of his career to serving South Sudan.
“Hon. Kosti Manibe was a dedicated and diligent public servant who devoted many years of his life to the service of South Sudan,” he said.
Gen. Aggrey said that throughout his distinguished career, Manibe served the country with commitment and distinction at various levels.
He said these include the executive, where his extensive experience and expertise in public administration, economic management, national affairs, and peacebuilding greatly benefited the nation.
“As a member of RJMEC, Hon. Manibe made valuable contributions to the Commission’s mandate of overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS),” he said.
He said Manibe participated diligently in the work of the Commission during a critical phase of the implementation of the 2018 peace deal, contributing valuable insights and constructive engagement to the peace process.
“His contribution to RJMEC was particularly significant at a time when the implementation of the R-ARCSS called for sustained political dialogue, compromise, trust, and collective commitment among the parties and stakeholders,” he said.
“Through his participation in the Commission, Hon. Manibe demonstrated his belief in the Agreement as an essential framework for ending conflict, consolidating peace, strengthening national institutions, and laying the foundations for a more stable, democratic, and prosperous South Sudan.”
Gen. Aggrey said Manibe’s passing is not only a loss to his family, friends, and colleagues, but also to South Sudan’s broader peacebuilding and nation-building efforts.
He said RJMEC recognizes and honors his service to the country and his contributions to the peace process.
“On behalf of RJMEC, I extend our deepest condolences to the family, relatives, friends and colleagues of the late Hon. Kosti Manibe Ngai,” he said.
“During this difficult period of mourning, we stand in solidarity with his loved ones and all those who knew and worked with him.”
Kosti Manibe Ngai was a South Sudanese politician who was associated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) for much of his political career.
In the early 2000s, Manibe served as the SPLM/A education commissioner.
Following the signing of peace agreements, he held several senior government positions in both Sudan’s Government of National Unity and the autonomous government of Southern Sudan.
After South Sudan gained independence in 2011, Manibe was appointed caretaker minister of cabinet affairs before later serving as minister of finance and economic planning.
He was among senior SPLM politicians arrested after the outbreak of the South Sudan conflict, when the government accused them of involvement in an alleged coup plot.
Manibe was released the following month and went into exile in Kenya, where he remained politically active until he died on 11 August 2026.
In his later years, he was associated with veteran politician Pagan Amum and the United People’s Alliance.
