By Lawal Adenike
In what appears an attempt to tighten his grip on power, Sudan’s top general, Abdel Fattah Burhan has reappointed himself as the head of the army-run interim governing body of the country.
Recall that last month, Burhan led a military coup in the country that dissolved civilian rule, as hundreds of political leaders were arrested and detained.
On Thursday, he was sworn in as head of the new governing Sovereign Council. Burhan also replaced civilian members of the previous council.
The general retained his deputy, Mohamed Handan Dagalo, Alias Hemeti, and other senior military leaders to the positions they held before the coup in October 25.
Reacting to the development, Sudan’s ousted information minister, Hamzah Balloul termed the new move an extension of the coup and said the people can defeat it and continue the transition.
However, Burhan was able to announce the new council despite increasing domestic and international pressure to reverse the coup.
According to the UN envoy in Sudan, Volker Perthes, the general’s “unilateral appointment of the council makes it increasing difficult for the country to return to constitutional order.”
The envoy therefore called for a quick negotiated solution to bring back civilian rule, urging the military to take other “confidence-building measures, including the restoration of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s full liberty.”
Before the coup, the government of the prime minister, Hamdok, oversaw day-to-day matters. Since the coup, Hamdok has remained under house arrest as Western powers and the UN try to find a resolution to the crisis.
