Protests erupted across Sudan on Tuesday as citizens demand greater civilian rule in the transitional government tasked with leading the country towards democracy following last eyar’s ouster of long-serving president Omar al-Bashir.
Waving flags, tens of thousands of demonstrators poured onto the streets of the capital, Khartoum, and other towns including Khartoum North, Omdurman and Kassala.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok governs the country alongside the military which helped remove al-Bashir from power.
The coalition was mandated to stay in power for a two-year transitional period after which Sudan should conduct democratic elections, but some parts if the deal have not been met, including appointing civilian state governors and establishing a parliament.
Hamdok’s government has an uphill task of reviving the country’s economy which has been battered for years by sanctions and inflation.
Reuters reports the country’s inflation to have surpassed 100 percent.
Last week, foreign donor nations pledged $1.8 billion at a conference hosted by Germany to help Sudan overcome the economic crisis hampering its transition. But the pledges were well below the $8 billion in aid Hamdok has said is needed.
The crisis has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic which has slowed down global economy as countries are forced to divert resources to health responses.
Hamdok on Monday issues a national statement in a bid to appease the disgruntled citizens, saying he would in two weeks announce major decisions on the way forward.
He gave no details, but added: “The transitional government …(is) aiming to achieve the highest levels of consensus and popular approval.”
