Khartoum governor relieves general director of water corporation

June 22, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The director general of Khartoum State Water Corporation (KSWC) has been relieved of his post following recent protests over water cuts in various parts of the Sudanese capital.

Water supply has been recently disrupted in large parts of the state leading to several protests the latest being in Al-Fitaihab and Abu Si’id neighbourhoods in Khartoum twin city of Omdurman.

Also, Halfayat al-Molok neighbourhood in Khartoum North saw similar protests last week.

The newly appointed governor of Khartoum state, Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, issued on Sunday a decision replacing the KSWC director general, Mahgoub Mohamed Suleiman, by Khaled Ali Khaled according to a recommendation submitted by the minister of infrastructure and transportation.

He also appointed Gasm Allah Mohamed Abdel-Gadir as deputy director general.

Hussein declared short and long-term plans to achieve a radical solution for the water problems in the state within two years.

The KSWC has more than once called for increasing water rates due to high operating costs.

A source within Khartoum state disclosed in June 2014 that several proposals were made to raise the water rate by 33% (20 pounds SDG) for the third degree consumers, 40% (35 pounds) for the second degree consumers and 33% (60 pounds) for the first degree consumers.

The same source said that another proposal was made to raise the water rate by 322% (190 pounds) for the first degree consumers, 380% (120 pounds) for the second degree consumers and 366% (70 pounds) for the third degree consumers.

A third proposal called for increasing the water rate by 288 pounds for the first degree consumers, 144 pounds for the second degree consumers and 84 pounds for the third consumers.

It should be recalled that the current water rate stands at 45 pounds for the first degree consumers, 25 pounds for the second degree consumers and 16 pounds for the third degree consumers.

(ST)