SPLM-IO politician and opposition Chief Whip at Council of States dies in Uganda

JUBA – A senior member of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) has died in the Ugandan capital Kampala after suffering a long illness, family members and the SPLM-IO have announced.

Manoah Aligo Donga, a veteran politician, was appointed last year by President Kiir to the transitional council of states and was named by the main armed opposition group as the movement’s chief whip in the council of states.

According to Moses Idoru, a family member, Donga died after diabetes complications and high blood pressure following many months of hospitalization in Kampala. According to the family member, the senior opposition official had lung problems.

“He suffered from diabetes complications and blood pressure and he also had fluids accumulated in his lungs. So he died in Uganda on date 11th January around 2 pm,’’ said Idoru, according to Radio Tamazuj.

For his part, member of the SPLM-IO National Liberation Council and close ally of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Dut Majokdit, said the demise means a great lost to the people of South Sudan in general and SPLM-IO in particular.

“It is very unfortunate that we lost Hon. Manoah Aligo yin Kampala after he struggled with sickness for a long time. It is a great loss to the movement and to the people of the Republic of South Sudan,” Majokdit said.

“Hon. Manoah Aligo was a veteran politician who has devoted his life to serving the people of South Sudan for a long time. So he was a member of SMPLM-IO and was part and parcel of the great movement which concerns h reforming agenda in the country,’’ he added.

Charles Ladu, the chairperson for the Central Equatoria Youth Union eulogized the deceased as having played a key role in youth development in the country.

“He played a great role within Juba and contributed a lot for the youth who benefited from him. We lost a great figure in the country and for this reason, we convey our condolences to the family of the late,” Ladu said.