Fuel and water shortages cause problems in Sudan’s cities

People in cities throughout Sudan reported problems caused by a lack of fuel for transport and grain mills. Water outages continue in several districts in Khartoum state.

West Darfur

Residents in Murnei locality reported that the grain mills in the area have been halted because of the lack of fuel to run the mills, and the rise of prices in general.

In the past weeks, Radio Dabanga also received reports of agricultural water pumps that were unable to operate because of the shortage of fuel.

Khartoum

In the Sudanese capital, residents in Umbada and Shargelnil district have complained of an interruption of the water supply for two weeks. People in other districts in the state said that they suffer from an interruption of the water supply as well, which has forced people to spend the night awaiting its availability.

The price of a barrel of water has amounted to SDG 70 ($3.80*), a listener told Radio Dabanga. “The frequent water cuts in a number of districts in Umbada often continue for an entire day.”

Kassala

People in Kassala in eastern Sudan witnessed a complete lack of public transportation in various lines in daytime on Thursday. A resident told Radio Dabanga that he had spent three hours in a public station in his attempt to reach home.

He attributed the transport issues to the lack of fuel in Kassala. “There are long lines of buses in front of fuel stations.”

El Gedaref

Opposition parties in El Gedaref state have launched a sharp criticism on the state government, accusing it of corruption and neglecting the crises in the state, including the thirst, lack of fuel and cooking gas, and the hike of prices.

Mustafa El Sayed, the spokesman for several opposition forces in El Gedaref, claimed that “The state government has bought 42 luxury vehicles for the constitutionalists, while the state is suffering from thirst, lack of fuel and cooking gas and hike of prices”.

Mustafa pointed to the failure of harvest in the state because of lack of diesel and called on the people to move for their legitimate rights.

He told Radio Dabanga that the harvests in the state have failed because of the lack of diesel. “The state’s implementation of a new water network project has failed, as well as other construction projects by companies owned by influential officials in the state government.”

El Tadamon

In the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, people in El Tadamon locality have complained of rise of prices of food and consumer goods. A number of residents in El Baloula told Radio Dabanga that life has become very hard.

“There is a high cost of living, with no breakthrough in sight,” a housewife complained. She added that prices for medical treatment and medicines have also increased.

*Based on the official US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS)