Sudan's New Authorities Dissolve Ex-leader Bashir's Party

Khartoum, Nov 29 (AFP) Sudan's new authorities on Thursday ordered that the party of ousted autocrat Omar al-Bashir be dissolved and all its properties be confiscated, heeding the call of protesters whose campaign led to the leader's overthrow.

Bashir and his Islamist National Congress Party (NCP) had ruled the northeast African country since June 30, 1989 before a nationwide protest movement resulted in him being deposed him earlier this year.

The country's ruling sovereign council and the cabinet led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok made the decision to dissolve the party, issuing a law titled "Dismantling of the regime of 30th June 1989".

"The National Congress Party is dissolved and its registration is cancelled from the list of political parties in Sudan," the decree said, adding that a committee would be formed to confiscate all its properties and assets.

The dissolution of the party was not revenge against the country's former rulers, Hamdok wrote on Twitter. "This decision is not revenge, but it aims to preserve the dignity of Sudanese people which was crushed by dishonest people.

"This decree aims to recover the plundered wealth of the people."

Wajdi Salah, a spokesman of the umbrella protest movement Forces of Freedom and Change, said on his Facebook page that the the party would be dissolved "step-by-step".

Thousands of Sudanese rallied late last month in several cities, urging the new authorities to dissolve the former ruling party.

Bashir and the NCP had ruled Sudan with an iron-fist since he seized power in 1989 by overthrowing the elected government of prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.

Protests erupted against President Bashir's government in December 2018 and quickly turned into a nationwide anti-regime movement that finally led to his ouster.

The army deposed him on April 11 in a palace coup, and in August a joint civilian and military sovereign council was formed to oversee the country's transition to civilian rule as demanded by protesters.

A civilian-led cabinet headed by Hamdok is charged with the day-to-day running of the country.

Bashir is being held in a prison in Khartoum facing trial on charges of corruption. Several other officials of his government and senior party members are also in jail. (AFP)

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