Kirkuk Council halted, political progress stalls

Shafaq News/ The Kirkuk Provincial Council has remained inactive for two months, indicating what one council member described, on Monday, as a “limping” political process in the province due to insufficient participation from all parties.

Salwa al-Mufraji, a member of the Kirkuk Provincial Council, told Shafaq News Agency that the Council has failed to hold any sessions for two months, depriving the province of effective governance and oversight. “Even if a session were to be held, it would likely devolve into a contentious exercise with ineffective resolutions,” she said.

Al-Mufraji criticized the stagnation, noting “The Council's inactivity exacerbates governance challenges in Kirkuk, particularly at a time when residents are in dire need of oversight for developmental projects.”

“Kirkuk needs a functional regulatory body to monitor projects and ensure they are carried out effectively.”

The Council member also highlighted the uneven distribution of resources in the province, calling for fairness in allocating projects to underserved areas. “Villages in Hawija and Daquq remain destroyed by ISIS, while other regions urgently require developmental initiatives,” she emphasized.

Notably, efforts to resolve Kirkuk's political disputes have seen limited success. In a meeting held in Baghdad on August 10, 2024, Rebwar Taha was elected as Kirkuk’s governor, and Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Hafiz was appointed as the Provincial Council’s Chairman.

The meeting, initiated by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, aimed to address long-standing divisions in the province. However, the Council has convened only once since the elections.

In turn, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid formally endorsed Taha’s appointment as governor.