Political Islam and Crony Capitalism in Sudan: A Case Study of “Munazzamat Al-Dawa Al-Islamiyya”

This paper examines the role of political Islam in encouraging cronyism in Sudan, with a focus on Munazzamat al-Dawa al-Islamiyya (MADA) businesses during the rule of former President Omar al-Bashir (1989-2019). The study focuses on the mechanisms by which MADA's businesses dominated the private sector and maintained the authoritarian regime. It also investigates the extent to which the regime's affiliates benefited in exchange for the benefits they provided to MADA. The study is based on data and information gathered through desk reviews and key informant interviews. The analysis reveals that although the organization's original goal was to spread Islam among non-Muslim societies, its mission has shifted to supporting the Islamist regime. MADA was heavily involved in business and its size grew dramatically during al-Bashir’s regime. The investigation shows that MADA has disproportionately benefited from privileged access to credit, tax breaks, trade protection, land, and preferential financial transactions granted via its 1990 Act. MADA provided Islamists with numerous benefits in exchange for these privileges, including job opportunities, cadre training, and continuous political support. Despite the lack of data, the analysis concludes that the rise of radical Islamists’ ideology aided the rise of cronyism in Sudan. This indicates that MADA played a significant role in extending al-Bashir’s rule for three decades; thus, it represents a pioneering experiment in the field of Islamist politics around the globe.