Khartoum, May 29 (Darfur24)
The National Umma Party announced on Thursday its reservations over the inclusion of the separation of religion and the state in the political roadmap signed by the Forces of the Declaration of Principles during meetings held in Nairobi last month.
The roadmap was agreed upon by several political and civil forces, including the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur, components of the Steadfastness Alliance, the Sudanese Congress Party, the Federal Gathering, and other civil groups during meetings held in the Kenyan capital on May 22 and 23.
The document addressed key issues related to Sudan’s future political process, including the relationship between religion and the state, the system of governance, power-sharing, national identity, the formation of a unified army, and post-war reconstruction.
In a statement, the Umma Party expressed its objection to the wording concerning the “separation of religion from the state,” describing the inclusion of such a sensitive and controversial issue in a “simplistic and direct manner” as regrettable and unhelpful to achieving the broad national consensus required at this critical stage.
The party stressed its support for efforts aimed at ending the war, restoring the civilian democratic transition, and building a broad civilian front based on the values of freedom, justice, and peace.
Despite its reservations, the Umma Party expressed support for the broader charter issued by the Sudanese Declaration of Principles Forces in Nairobi, describing it as a serious attempt to advance national dialogue and consensus.
The party reiterated that issues related to identity and the relationship between religion and the state should be discussed within a comprehensive national constitutional conference after the end of the war, allowing all Sudanese parties to participate without exclusion or the imposition of predetermined positions.
It warned that attempting to settle such issues through political charters could deepen divisions rather than contribute to national unity.
On December 16, 2025, political forces and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur signed the “Declaration of Principles for Building a New Nation” in Nairobi as part of ongoing efforts to establish a political framework for ending the conflict in Sudan.