Khartoum's essential public services remain down as government returns

Transcript

00:00The battle for Khartoum and the subsequent RSF occupation of the capital left a trail

00:11of destruction. Damaged and destroyed civilian infrastructure including power stations left

00:17many especially in Khartoum's Tuti Island in darkness. The army has since retaken Khartoum

00:24but many problems remain. Electricity is a lifeline and we have suffered greatly due to

00:32the power outages. It has negatively impacted all aspects of our life, school, health and even the

00:38economy. Shops and refrigerators stopped working. Communication and water services were disrupted

00:43and even water supply was cut off. Residents say with power blackouts fuel prices have soared

00:51increasing the cost of living. Power outages have also halted water purification and distribution

00:57networks worsening the suffering for many. The power cuts affected us greatly. Diseases,

01:05mosquitoes and flies increased. The situation was extremely difficult but we adopted and accepted

01:12the reality. The people of Sudan and those of Tuti are exhausted. When gas was available the price of

01:19a single cylinder skyrocketed to around 240 US dollars making it unaffordable for most people. We're now

01:26cooking with firewood. Authorities and officials have acknowledged extensive damage to the country's

01:32electricity sector and they say rebuilding will be a costly affair. At the transmission network level,

01:41we lost over a thousand kilometers of transmission lines and this has significantly impacted the delivery of

01:46electricity to the rest of the states. Our infrastructure has suffered extensive damage both at the

01:53substations and distribution stations. We lost a large number of transformers due to oil and copper

01:59theft. Our losses have been enormous. But since the army recaptured Khartoum from the rapid support forces

02:06last March, the government says it's striving to restore services. Last week, authorities announced a

02:13return of administrative duties from Port Sudan to Khartoum. And with that move, they promised

02:19improved electricity, water and sanitation services including the reconstruction of hospitals and schools.

02:26And with such promises, residents are hoping that Khartoum will become what it once was.