By Staff Writer
South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit has called for 3-day holidays to mourn the life of late minister of Water Resource and Irrigation, Peter Manawa Gatkuoth.
Work was suspended countrywide both at all level of government (national and States), and the private sector starting yesterday (Monday).
President Kiir made the mourning declaration yesterday, while the body of late Gatkuoth was being laid to rest at Medan Simba.
Kiir told mourners and the general public to stay home for a period of three days as a sign of respect to the deceased and the family.
He said flag to be flown at half-mast to acclaim the life and work of late minister Gatkuoth on earth.
“All the mourners, Manawa may not be known to many of the people, but I believe most people do know Peter Gatkuoth; we are mourning this young man who has died prematurely. We have lost a great man, let us pray to God to rest his soul in eternal peace,” the President said.
Meanwhile, the First Vice President, Riek Machar Teny commended the mourners and the government of Egypt for bringing the body of Gatkuoth to Juba.
“On behave of the family, and on behave of the SPLM/A-IO, I would like to thank those who gathered here to mourn the life of Gatkuoth. We are celebrating the life of our young minister, the passing on of the late is a great loss to this nation, he has done his best,” he said.
The Vice President described the late as a nationalist, saying it was not yet time to talk about the work and life of Gatkuoth.
He said the late was a very hard-working person whether when he was a student leader, a youth leader, or even in the government. He further said the late work was remarkable, whether at the State level or at the national level.
“I want to thank those in Egypt, we all know Egypt is one of the leading countries in disease of heart. This is not the time about the work of Peter Manawa Gatkuoth, we shall talk later,” he stated.
The body of the late minister was flown to Juba on Monday, and was accompanied by the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and South Sudan Ambassador to Cairo.
Late Minister Gatkuoth passed away of heart related sickness, and gone to the Lord’s sides the previous Sunday (19th June, 2022), may God have mercy on him.