Sudan’s DUP to remain in NCP-led government: report

October 20, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) led by Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani will remain in the cabinet dominated by the National Congress Party (NCP) despite an internal panel that recommended withdrawal.

Al-Mirghani has established a committee earlier this month to look into the future of the DUP participation in the government which has been in place since December 2011. It has unanimously recommended that the party pulls out in a non-binding decision.

The DUP chief has been out of the country since late September when demonstrations erupted across Sudan to protest the government’s decision to cut back fuel subsidies. This move was reportedly opposed by the DUP and was a source of tensions with the NCP.

But a DUP source speaking to Al-Youm Al-Tali newspaper edition today said that Mirghani told a leading party figure and its former presidential candidate for the 2010 elections Hatim Al-Sir that withdrawing from the government would be “catastrophic” for the country.

Yahiya Saleh Mukwar, another leading DUP figure who holds the federal Human Development, Tourism and Antiquities ministerial post said in separate statements that the party ministers in the cabinet will continue their functions as normal.

(ST)