The African Union has warned Sudan’s ruling military council to hand over power to civilian authority in the next 60 days or face suspension.
The military took power after ouster the country’s long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir on April 11 following months of anti-government protests that started in December 2018. It promised to hold elections within the next two years but protesters rejected the proposal and continued protests demanding immediate civilian rule.
The recent threat follows an earlier deadline given to Sudan’s military leaders to step aside within a 15-day period set by the bloc on April 15.
The first deadline of 15 days was issued days after the military ousted basher. The second deadline was given after a special AU summit in Cairo which was chaired by the current AU president Abdel Fatteh Al-Sisi of Egypt. It gave the military three months to regularize the power situation.
In a statement, the AU said it is deeply regretting to find that the military had not stepped aside and handed power to civilians within a 15-day period set by the AU last month. It said that the 60 days deadline was a final extension for Sudan’s Transitional Military Council to hand over power to civilians, reported Reuters.
Notably, despite several attempts, the military and protest leaders have failed to reach an agreement on the composition of a unity government of civilians and military officials
The Sudanese Professionals Association, SPS, have called out the people to remain in the streets to keep up the pressure for civilian rule until the military council hands over the authority to civilians.
The protestor group has called for mass rallies on Thursday and threatened a general strike. The TMC, meanwhile, warned earlier this week that they will not accept chaos and demanded that protesters clear roadblocks around their sit-in outside the military’s headquarters in Khartoum.
