On conditional release, Mamoun Humeida, the director of the University of Medical Sciences, whom the minister met, faces charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Khartoum: AlTaghyeer
Sudanese activists denounced the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Intisar Saghiroun, meeting with one of the former regime’s prominent figures during her visit to a university owned by him.
On Wednesday, Minister Saghiroun visited the University of Medical Sciences and Technology, owned by a figure belonging to the ousted regime, Mamoun Humeida.
During the visit, the Minister met with Humeida, and expressed her admiration for the students’ non-academic talents and creativity, during their celebration of the silver jubilee of the university.
Humeida served as Minister of Health in Khartoum State during the al-Bashir era, and faces widespread accusations of having pursued a policy of systematic destruction of the sector.
The closure of central hospitals in the Sudanese capital and their replacement with peripheral hospitals, are among his most prominent decisions taken during his tenure.
Following the overthrow of ousted Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, he was arrested on corruption charges before he was later released on bail.
Activist Amin Muhammad Suleiman, on his Facebook page, denounced the meeting of the Minister of Higher Education and Mamoun Humeida.
He wrote a pamphlet in which he explained that Mamoun Humeida, who was interviewed by the Minister, had brutally aided in the assault of his students with the help of the university administration during the protests that toppled al-Bashir.
Another activist, Azzan Saeed Kanna, demanded that the minister be held accountable or be dismissed for meeting Humeida, who “lacked prudence”.
Azzan said that Mamoun Hamida is one of the symbols of the annihilated regime, but considered him as one of the worst symbols of that regime and the most hated by the people.
He also noted that he is still pending cases before the judiciary and is under conditional release.
The activist also noted that Mamoun Humeida is the symbol of the privatization of health in Sudan, in terms of education and care, and that he deliberately targeted government health institutions for the benefit of the private sector, such as Khartoum Hospital.
He considered that the existence of the Humeida owned University of Medical Sciences itself is a big question, due to the facilities provided to it coming from a privileged place and seizure of government hospitals.
He said that this puts Mamoun Hamida on suspicion of exploiting his party’s connections in establishing the university and expanding it to become an empire that includes public and private hospitals and radio.
