At a Glance

• Acting Governor Rebwar Taha will manage Kirkuk's administrative vacuum until a successor is elected.
• Taha legally holds the acting role until the Provincial Council and political parties reach an agreement.
• The administration focuses entirely on public service rather than the political position itself.

Acting Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha announced he will manage the province's current administrative vacuum until political parties elect a successor, emphasizing that local governance must continue seamlessly through a genuine multi-ethnic partnership.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Rebwar Taha stated that, “According to the law, I am currently the acting Governor of Kirkuk until the moment the Provincial Council and the political parties agree to elect a new governor.”
• Taha stressed that the province is currently experiencing an administrative vacuum whose effects must not become apparent.

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Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Rebwar Taha, who served as First Deputy Governor, noted, “The position itself is not important to us; what matters is how we can serve the people, so that the citizens of Kirkuk fully feel that the administration and the local government belong to them and are here to serve them.”

He emphasized that he will manage provincial affairs in an acting capacity across all ethnic components—including Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen—until political factions formally nominate and elect a permanent successor.

The Acting Governor highlighted that the province must be managed through a genuine partnership.

Taha further said the Turkmen component wants to take back the position of Kirkuk Governor, adding that the majority of Kirkuk's posts will be changed, and Kurds will reclaim them.

“Right now, we want to build upon and complete the services we have provided to our city in the past period,” he added.

FYI

The administrative vacancy in Kirkuk occurred following a sudden federal cabinet reshuffle in Baghdad. Turkmen Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha vacated his provincial post after being appointed as Iraq's new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. 

His appointment required him to step down immediately from local office to take his constitutional oath and assume his federal ministerial portfolio. 

This rapid transition left the ethnically diverse province without a sitting executive head, prompting First Deputy Governor Rebwar Taha to assume temporary control.

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