Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s appearance at a rap concert in Khartoum has drawn criticism on social media, with activists accusing him of using a youth gathering to promote his political legitimacy.
Burhan addressed crowds at Khartoum Stadium during an event featuring Sudanese rapper Montiyago, delivering political remarks about the war and the controversy surrounding his application for a US visa, according to local media.
Critics cited in the report accused the army chief of exploiting the concert’s audience to project an image of popular support. They described his appearance as an attempt to borrow the crowds drawn by a musical performance for political purposes.
Some activists drew parallels with Burhan’s appearances at communal weddings and circumcision celebrations in River Nile state following the October 25, 2021 coup that removed the civilian-led transitional government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
They argued that such appearances reflected a recurring effort to secure public acceptance through social gatherings.
Other critics accused figures associated with ousted president Omar al-Bashir’s regime of encouraging Burhan to follow his predecessor’s methods of displaying popular support. They said the presence of a large crowd at an entertainment event should not be interpreted as an endorsement of military rule.
The report cited activists predicting that attempts to cultivate support through such appearances would fail, with some arguing that the same young people pictured around Burhan could ultimately turn against his authority.
It did not establish how widely those views were shared among concertgoers.
