Mahdi calls to speed up appointment of civilian governors in Sudan
December 7, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sadiq al-Mahdi, leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) announced his support for the speedy appointment of qualified civilian governors and called on the armed movements to end the war and engage in the peace process.
Al-Mahdi made statements during a visit to Aba Island, one of the bastions of his party in the While Nile State 300km south of Khartoum.
His party announced that al-Mahdi intends to mobilize popular support for the transitional government. But observers say he wanted to inspect the party’s electoral constituencies and organize the parties sections.
The White Nile military governor last November threatened to arrest protesters who call to resolve water crisis in the state, triggering calls to replace him by a civilian governor.
Speaking to the huge crowd that attended the rally, al-Mahdi said that the would-be appointed civilian governor should be qualified persons, enjoy popular support, and bear responsibility without any favouritism.
He further said that the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) will submit the list of its nominees for governors to Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to pick the 18 governors.
“Our advice to him is to choose the strong and faithful (governors),” al-Mahdi said.
The NUP leader did not indicate a date for their appointment. However, last month, the FFC agreed with the government negotiating team to delay the appointment of governors until the 31 December.
The Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) says opposed to the appointment of governors before the signing of a peace agreement.
He called on the armed groups to stop the war and regain the country to negotiate just peace addressing the root causes of the conflict and give all those who took up arms their rights to decentralization, the power and wealth sharing, and the recognition of cultural diversity.
He added that all the refugees and internally displaced people are all entitled to take part in this peace project.
He added that his party has a majority in term of popular support in the conflict areas in Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan, before to add that anyone who disputes this fact we will prove it to him” alluding to the general elections that should take place within three years.
(ST)