Sudan's President has declared a national state of emergency and has dismissed the entire federal government.

Iran Press/Africa: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has also sacked all state governors of the country.

He made the announcement in a television address to the nation, but later appointed members of the security forces as replacement governors, BBC reported.

Omar Hassan al-Bashir has been the focus of anti-government protests in recent weeks.

Sudanese security forces have arrested dozens of prominent opposition leaders on Feb. 22, in a rally in the country’s capital of Khartoum, while all ports in Sudan are now shut down due to workers strike. 

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In the address, Sudan's President asked parliament to postpone constitutional amendments that would allow him to run for another term.

Omar al-Bashir also said the demonstrations were an attempt to destabilize the country.

"I announce a state of emergency across the country for one year,I announce dissolving the government at the federal level and at the provincial level," Sudan's President noted.

Hours after the announcement, Omar al-Bashir issued two presidential decrees appointing army and security officers to govern the country's 18 provinces.

Sudan's President also announced that five members of the outgoing cabinet, including the foreign, defense and justice ministers, would keep their jobs.

Earlier on January 26, the leader of Sudan’s largest opposition party demanded that President Omar al-Bashir’s administration bow to mass protests and step down, in an address to hundreds of party supporters in a mosque near Khartoum.

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Sudan has been rapidly expanding its money supply in an attempt to finance its budget deficit, causing spiraling inflation and a steep decline in the value of its currency.

The public display of anger, over price hikes and shortages, soon escalated into calls for president Bashir to step down, blaming him for the country’s problems. 101/211/201

 

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