By Faith Nyasuguta
The government of Sudan has warned of a looming shortage of essential goods including medicine, fuel, and food including wheat after protestors blocked major transport goods for imports.
For a number of weeks now, protestors from the East of Sudan have blocked the ferrying of supplies from the main port on the Red Sea coast, in the city of Port Sudan, in a bid to pressure Khartoum to implement a string of political demands.
According to the protestors, they have been demonstrating against what they have referred to as ‘the slumping political and economic conditions ‘ in the region.
A recent statement by the cabinet of Sudan indicated that prevention of the transportation of key medicine and goods is a “crime” against millions of citizens.
The government revealed that the nation’s stock of life-saving medicines and intravenous solutions is about to run out since the closure of the port and the national road has prevented the arrival of imported shipments.
In September, the cabinet vowed to work on a political solution to the issues of eastern Sudan and urged the protesters to commence a dialogue with the government.
Despite that, members of the Beja tribe seem far from complying with the central government’s plea as they have barricaded roads to the port with large rocks to ensure nothing enters or exits the facility.