Rebwar Taha: We Will Continue in the Footsteps of President Mam Jalal to Serve Kirkuk and Its People

PUKMEDIA

Former Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha.

The former Governor of Kirkuk has reaffirmed his commitment to continuing his service to the people of Kirkuk.

In a video message addressed to the residents of the city, Taha expressed his gratitude to Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), for placing his trust in him and appointing him as Governor of Kirkuk.

He said that throughout his term in office, the administration faced numerous security, financial and administrative challenges. He noted that Kirkuk Governorate did not receive a dedicated budget and was allocated only a limited share of petrodollar revenues, amounting to no more than 7% of the budgets granted to previous administrations. He added that, had even a quarter of those earlier budgets been provided, Kirkuk could have been transformed into a very different city.

Taha stressed that despite these constraints, efforts to serve the public never ceased. He said work continued to rebuild trust between citizens and government institutions, strengthen the spirit of coexistence among Kirkuk’s diverse communities, and extend essential services to neglected neighbourhoods. He added that the full impact of these efforts would become clear in the years ahead.

He further stated that despite receiving 97,000 votes in the parliamentary elections and being offered several senior positions in Baghdad, he chose to remain in Kirkuk in order to continue serving the city and its people, even in an ordinary administrative role.

He said he accepted the post of First Deputy Governor of Kirkuk in order to continue serving residents, ensure that Kurdish representation was not diminished, and prevent key development projects from being left incomplete.

The former governor added that, despite the difficulty of the circumstances, he was required to make decisions that would best serve the interests of both the people and the city, emphasising that his service must continue.

He also revealed that over the past year and a half he had survived three assassination attempts, yet remained steadfast in carrying out his duties.

Taha concluded by saying that they would continue to follow the path of President Mam Jalal in service of Kirkuk and its people, expressing confidence that the current phase would pass and lead to a brighter future.

The change in the position of Kirkuk’s governor comes two years after the Iraqi provincial elections, in which Taha secured the highest number of votes of any candidate across Iraq, receiving 97,000 votes.

According to PUK Spokesperson Karwan Gaznay, the change is part of an agreement stipulating that the governorship of Kirkuk should rotate among all of the city’s communities.

Gaznay told a news conference on Thursday: “This step by the PUK is grounded in the prudent policies of President Mam Jalal — policies rooted in both strength and coexistence. At the height of Kurdish influence in Iraq, he proposed a framework to distribute positions among Kirkuk’s diverse communities, and today we are implementing that vision with the guidance of President Bafel Jalal Talabani.”

He further stressed that the transfer of the governorship is “entirely unrelated to the presidential election, contrary to claims made by some parties. It is simply the implementation of an agreement reached more than two years ago. Our politics are based on integrity, and we remain committed to our agreements. At the same time, this reflects the soundness of President Bafel’s and the PUK’s approach.”



PUKMEDIA