(dpa/GNA) – The new military ruler in Sudan, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, plans to appoint a new head of government within the coming week, he told Russian state agency Ria Novosti on Friday.
A technocrat will soon be nominated, although a list of candidates has not yet been drawn up, he said, adding that the new head of government will then nominate a Cabinet.
The military took power in the East African country on Monday after the political situation worsened. Al-Burhan announced that the civilian members of the country’s transitional government were being dismissed and declared a state of emergency.
The military coup came after many weeks of protests and political crisis in the East African country with 44 million inhabitants.
Deposed Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok had led a transitional government together with al-Burhan since August 2019, after Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s strongman leader for 30 years, was ousted in an earlier coup following mass protests.
The transitional government was due to prepare elections in 2022.
The next elections are now to be in 2023, according to al-Burhan, who has claimed the coup was necessary for Sudan to avoid descending into civil war.
In Sudan, the internet and many telephone lines are still largely blocked. No information has been available since the takeover, according to witnesses.
The Sudanese news agency SUNA has reportedly stopped publishing news for the first time since it was founded 60 years ago, according to reports. Additionally, many professional associations have gone on strike.
Protests are expected nationwide on Saturday.
GNA