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Military Officers, Civilian Protesters, Sign Power-Sharing Deal in Sudan

Out of the 39 months, the military will maintain their grip on power for 21 months and the civilians will hopefully usher in an elected president after 18 months of tasting what ousted president Omar Al-Bashir held for 30 years.

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After all-night talks, the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the coalition of political parties representing the Sudanese protesters, have penned their signatures to a power-sharing deal. The signage was postponed following the TMC’s report of an attempted coup last week.

The deal will see a sovereign council hold office for at least 39 months— three years and three months, after which elections will be conducted. 

Out of the 39 months, the military will maintain their grip on power for 21 months and the civilians will hopefully usher in an elected president after 18 months of tasting what ousted president Omar Al-Bashir held for 30 years.

“It is a historic moment for the country," Mohammed Dagalo, deputy leader of the TMC said after the signing. 

The sovereign council which the two parties have agreed to constitute will be made up of 11 members— the TMC will choose five from their ranks, the civilians will do same and both interests will pick the 11th person. 

The two sides will meet on Friday to settle constitutional issues.

The last update on the ousted Al-Bashir came from the country’s’ chief prosecutor, Alwaleed Mahmoud, who said the International Criminal Court (ICC)-wanted former president, will soon stand trial on corruption charges. 

Mahmoud also stated in June that 41 officials who served under Al-Bashir were already docked.

Negotiations between the protesters and the military began in May, a month after the once-loyal armed forces forced their boss out of office. 

Talks soon broke down on June 3 when the TMC broke-up a sit-in protest in Khartoum. 

Mediators led by Ethiopia and the African Union were able to get the parties back to the table after the ‘million-man march' demonstration in June, where more killings were recorded. 

Dagalo’s Rapid Support Force have been fingered for committing some of the worst atrocities.