Sudanese Analysts Question Constitutional Document

The constitutional document did not yield any fruits anda has only added to the suffering of Sudanese citizens, said Hassan Haj Ali, a political science lecturer at Khartoum University. He said the document is no longer valid anyway after last year’s military coup.

Ali asserts that the constitutional document was drafted in a hurry and focused only on a partnership between a small group of political forces and the military.

“It was written in a hasty way, overlooking a number of issues and the main idea is just in a very quick way to reach a compromise between the civilians and the military council,” Ali told South Sudan in Focus.

A proper, structural government should either abolish or amend the document or draft an entirely new one which corresponds with Sudan’s recent history, Ali argues.

Sudanese military and civilian leaders agreed to share power on August, 17, 2019 through a constitutional document that would govern the country for 36 months.

It was agreed that the head of the military component, General Abdul Fattah Al Burhan would lead the Sovereign Council, composed of five military officers and six civilian members.

The civilian component of the Sovereign Council nominated former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to lead the Council of Ministers. Hamdok resigned late last year following the coup led by Al Burhan.

The partnership between the military and civilians is no longer relevant because a third party was introduced with the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement, said Ali.

“We have diverse political interests within the civilians and at the same time within the military, between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese armed forces. Later on, they added the armed groups, mainly from Darfur and also from the southern Blue Nile province, Ali told VOA.

The Sudan Revolutionary Front - a coalition of armed groups - signed a peace deal with the transitional government in October 2020, which silenced the guns in parts of Darfur, Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains for several months.

Another analyst argues the three-year transitional period was too long. The various factions in government developed opposing interests over that time, said Al Rasheed Mohammed Ibrahim at Khartoum University.

“Transitional political issues all over the world should be for a very short period, which should be focused on particular issues including the democratic transition. It shouldn’t focus on any political rivalries or allocations to favor any political party, Ibrahim told South Sudan in Focus.

He said military leaders spoiled all aspirations of the country's citizens when they overthrew the civilian government.

Ali and Ibrahim said the constitutional vacuum in the country does not bode well for the country, and there is an urgent need for Sudan’s political parties to iron out their differences.

If the military actually does step aside as General Al Burhan announced in early July it would do, Ibrahim said civilian political parties should form a technocratic government to prepare Sudan for elections.

“There should be a technocratic civilian government in place who should have a specific program that focuses on the livelihood of the people, a government that would focus on constitutional preparation, economic stability and prepare people for the election,” said Ibrahim.