Two main Sudanese opposition parties not to participate in new government

Text of report by Sudanese independent Al-Mashahir (Almshaheer) website, BBC Monitoring Middle East.

Sept 4, 2005 (Khartoum) — The deputy chairman of the ruling National Congress, Dr Nafi Ali Nafi, yesterday announced that most of the political parties in Sudan would participate in the interim government, except the Popular National Congress [PNC] led by Hasan al-Turabi and the Ummah Party [UP] led by Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi.

In a press statement, the deputy chairman said that Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi’s parties would not participate in the government of national unity which will run affairs during the first half of the interim period which was set for six years.

Al-Turabi and Al-Mahdi had announced their rejection to participate in the interim government and preferred to remain in the opposition until general elections were held on the second half of the interim period.

Nafi said he expected the set-up of the interim government to be announced by the end of this week. In this regard, he pointed out that the committees assigned to hold consultations regarding the formation of the government has handed over their proposals for the presidential institution according the to the peace agreement between the government and the SPLM last January.

The ruling National Congress’ share in the government portfolio and parliamentary seat will be 52 per cent, the SPLM will get 28 per cent, opposition parties from the north will get 16 per cent while the southern parties get 6 per cent.