294 Sudanese MPs introduce bill to scrap presidential term limit

December 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese lawmakers representing 33 political parties Tuesday have introduced a bill to amend the constitution to allow President Omer al-Bashir to run for a third term in 2020 elections.

Al-Bashir’s term ends in 2020 and he couldn’t run for office again according to the constitution. Also, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) statute limits to two terms the nomination of the party candidate for the presidential elections.

However, the NCP Shura (consultative) Council last August amended party statute allowing al-Bashir to stay for a third term as party leader in a move that is largely seen as a prelude to amend the country’s constitution to allow him to run for presidency.

The proposed amendments bill was signed by 294 MPs and provides to abolish presidential term limits.

The head of the parliamentary sub-committee on industry Abdallah Masar told reporters that the proposed bill contains 57 amendments pertaining to the presidential term limits.

He described the move as “important national issue”, saying the amendments allow the president to sack the elected governors of states for a number of reasons including violation of “loyalty and obedience” to the president.

Al-Bashir who came to power through a coup d’état in June 1989 will have ruled Sudan for 31 years by the year 2020.

In March 2012, the Sudanese president said he wouldn’t seek his re-election in April 2015 but he ran and won in an election that was boycotted by the major opposition parties.

Also, in August 2016, he said “I’m not a dictator and I don’t want to cling to power. I won’t run for another term, my term will end by 2020 and I won’t be able to run again according to the constitution and the constitution won’t be amended”

However, last September he openly declared his readiness for the elections after his nomination for the party’s candidate by the NCP Shura (Consultative).

(ST)