Photograph — PRI

Following a power tussle which has lasted nearly 4 months, Sudan’s military council and opposition leaders have agreed to take turns in heading the sovereign council for the next three years and three months. Although the full details of this agreement are yet to be revealed, some of the key factors surrounding its implementation are expected to be discussed on Friday.

The sovereign council will have five civilians and five military figures in addition to an 11th civilian which will be selected by the 10 members. It has also been disclosed that after a high ranking military official has led the council for the first 21 months, a civilian will be in charge for the 18 months leading up to general elections.

Both parties agreed that the position of defence and interior minister will be recommended by the military, whereas the protesters will have the final say regarding the role of prime minister in a separate cabinet. Meanwhile, there is no mention of the military’s request for immunity from prosecution following the death of a protester. But there is the assurance that any violence will be properly investigated.

The terms of the transitional period, which will be laid out in a constitutional declaration, are yet to be agreed.

Since the ouster of autocratic President, Omar al-Bashir by the army in April, Sudan has been rocked by a deadly political crisis, caused by the refusal of the generals who seized power to transfer it to a civilian administration. Fearing that the generals would maintain authoritarian rule by clinging onto power, protesters remained in the streets even after al-Bashir was removed.

Tensions further intensified on June 3, after dozens of protesters were killed and hundreds injured in a raid on a protest camp outside army headquarters in Khartoum. Last weekend, massive protests were held in which tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Sudan’s main cities.

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