The Governor of the Red Sea State in eastern Sudan had to cut short a speech and leave the podium during a rally in Haya locality on Monday, in the latest in a number of recent demonstrations of popular unrest.
Angry citizens in the audience began to shout at Governor Mohamed Taher Eila during his speech, chanting slogans like “This Governor will not govern, leave, leave.”
“A group of people tried to demolish the podium, before security forces entered and stopped them,” said one of the protesters, adding that security forces detained several of the protesters but released them again after the governor left the locality.
On Saturday protesters intercepted a parade in the Deim Arab district in Port Sudan, throwing stones at the governor. Police used tear gas to disperse them.
During the past weeks Red Sea State’s capital Port Sudan witnessed various demonstrations against the policies of the governor and deteriorating living conditions.
People are particularly angry about plans to sell four historical schools in the city’s centre. The plots are to be used for business investment.
Reporting by Radio Dabanga
File photo: Demonstrators in Khartoum, protesting against the lifting of fuel subsidies, September 2013