By Emmanuel Mandella
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio has condemned the tragic killing of Mr. Peter Mbia, Director General of the State Ministry of Education in Western Equatoria state saying that its “barbaric, illegal, and utterly un-Christian act,” and demanded swift and transparent accountability from both national and state authorities.
In his 3rd August letter shared with Rurugene Online Newsletter, he said, “To take a man’s life in such a cowardly and violent manner especially one who dedicated his years to building the minds and lives of others is both a personal tragedy and a national disgrace.”
Mr. Mbia was gunned down in his home in Napere, a Yambio suburb, on Saturday evening by three armed men on a motorbike, as the assailants fired over 15 bullets at him in front of his family. No arrests have been made.
Bishop Hiiboro described Mbia as “a true son of the Church,” raised in the Catholic tradition and once a seminarian, who went on to serve as a committed public servant and educational visionary.
“We have recklessly lost a phenomenal leader, a committed Christian, and a true teacher of teachers,” the bishop said.
Beyond his government role, Mbia was a figure in Western Equatoria’s education history. During the war of liberation, he risked his life to bring education to the remotest areas carrying books and materials by foot, bicycle, and motorbike to start schools when the state system had collapsed.
He also served on the Diocesan Catholic Education Board and the Board of Solidarity Teachers Training College, shaping education policy and mentoring future teachers across the state.
“The gift of literacy and knowledge many enjoy in our state today was watered by his sweat and sacrifice,” Bishop Hiiboro said and continued, “if there was a grievance, the courts should have spoken.”
He added, “if there was any accusation, conflict, or grievance, the court of law is the only acceptable place to seek redress. Taking the law into one’s own hands is lawlessness and must be met with the full force of justice.”
He also issued a sharp warning to security institutions, urging them to rise to their duty to protect lives and restore public confidence.
“The people of South Sudan must not live-in fear especially not in their own homes,” he added and stressed, “Let this tragedy not divide us. Let our mourning not become a weapon. Let us, as a people, overcome evil with good.”
While, quoting scripture, he called on South Sudanese to be peacemakers, urging the faithful and the wider community to honor Mr. Mbia’s legacy by continuing his work and walking the path of unity and truth. “His light will not be extinguished. His legacy will live on in our hearts, in our classrooms, and in the generations, he helped shape.”
