FFC Leaders Reject al-Burhan Claims Over Power Monopoly

October 2, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - Leaders of the civilian ruling coalition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) released strong statements directed at Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council, dismissing claims that they monopolize power.

The head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that four FFC groups control the transitional cabinet and want to impose their partisan agenda in the transitional period.

Ibrahim al-Sheikh, a leading FFC member and Minister of Industry released a statement on Saturday saying they share power with the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement, while al-Burhan alone controls the security services and economic military companies.

"Since two years ago, you have been the Chairman of its Sovereign Council, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Chairman of the Interim Legislative Council, the Chairman of the Security and Defence Council, the Chairman of the Council of Transition’s Partners, and the President of the High Peace Council," al-Sheikh said.

The FFC control 18 portfolios of 26 ministries, the armed groups six ministries in addition to three seats at the Sovereign Council and the position of Darfur region governor, the military have two ministries.

"You control 10 billion-dollar companies that manufacture weapons, cars, planes, skewers, and pipes Also, have offices around the world that manage slaughterhouses and export meat," he added.

He further wondered why the head of the Sovereign Council complains after all that.

Several armed groups and some political groups established a new alliance welcomed by the military under the name of the FFC calling to review the power-sharing between the different components of the transitional government.

For his part, Abbas Madani an FFC member and former minister in the first Hamdok government spoke about a planned coup by the military and their allied groups.

"The battle is not over the FFC reform (...) but with the head of the Sovereign Council, who is circumventing the Constitutional Document’s benchmarks. He and his deputy do not want to reform the military and security sector and establish a unified army," Madani stressed.

He added that the civilian forces should not be distracted by a dispute with their supporters from the political groups but should be focused on the achievement of the democratic reforms.

(ST)