The Truth Perspective: Al-Manara Station: A Lack of Strategic Planning?!
Ibrahim Shiglawi
Al-Manara water station in Khartoum is one of the key pillars in securing water supplies for the localities of Karari, Omdurman, and Umbada. Since its establishment in 2010 at a cost of $106 million, half of which was funded by a Dutch grant, the station represented a significant achievement in improving service infrastructure. However, with the ongoing war, the fragility of managing this vital facility has become evident, lacking the strategic planning necessary to ensure its continued operation during crises. Instead of being a success story, it has become a symbol of unpreparedness to face urgent challenges threatening service continuity.
Currently, the station is experiencing a major crisis resulting in the complete cessation of main water pumping, causing numerous consequences. This article attempts to analyze the current reality. Al-Manara station suffers from frequent water supply interruptions due to total reliance on the traditional electricity grid, making it vulnerable to complete shutdowns in the event of any network failure. The station appears to lack any energy alternatives, such as high-efficiency backup generators or solar energy systems.
The crisis worsened significantly when the Rapid Support Forces targeted the Merowe Dam power station, causing a general power outage that halted the station’s operation. This outage forced residents of Karari, Omdurman, and Umbada to resort to purchasing tanker water at exorbitant prices, which was often unavailable in some areas. The streets became crowded with citizens lining up for water from benefactors who owned cisterns or volunteers who brought tankers to assist people.
Additionally, Karari locality is facing high population growth due to displacement. After the army restored security in large parts of the capital, the localities of Umbada and Omdurman witnessed a significant return of citizens, further straining limited service resources. This situation was not met with adequate preparation or the establishment of emergency response teams to address potential crises. With continued water supply interruptions, many daily activities were disrupted, including school closures, economic activity halts, and the shutdown of numerous bakeries that should have been required to provide generators.
These issues clearly reflect the absence of strategic planning during wartime, significantly impacting citizens’ lives and exacerbating their suffering. The crisis resurfaced with all its details in mid-last year, leading to a temporary shutdown of the station due to a shortage of purification materials that could have been stockpiled early. However, the facility seems to suffer from administrative weakness requiring review and accountability. Today, the recurrence of the crisis without lessons learned is truly puzzling.
Thus, urgent demands remain: the necessity of providing two electricity generators—one in service and the other as a backup—to ensure the station’s operation during emergencies, or introducing solar energy systems as a sustainable alternative to reduce dependence on traditional electricity. Moreover, clear emergency operational plans should be established to ensure the continuity of vital services even under exceptional circumstances. Enhancing civil-military coordination is also crucial to ensure better crisis management.
The continuation of this crisis without radical solutions poses a direct threat to the lives of citizens in Karari locality, which has become the alternative capital under current conditions. It is evident that the “Plan B” that the Rapid Support Forces have been advocating relies on targeting infrastructure and using it as a battlefield to pressure the army and government into negotiations. Thus, targeting vital facilities such as electricity and water reflects a systematic use of war to disrupt citizens’ daily lives.
As we know, the Rapid Support Forces rely on strategies to destroy infrastructure to weaken public confidence in the state’s ability to manage crises. Targeting facilities in this manner represents a qualitative shift in warfare tactics, where drones are used to intensify pressure on civilians, threatening the continuity of basic services.
Crisis management during wartime requires enhanced cooperation between civil and military sectors to ensure the provision of basic services in times of war.
A Final Message
From the perspective of truth, a message to the Governor of Khartoum, Ahmed Othman Hamza: the shutdown of Al-Manara station represents a major challenge, putting citizens in direct confrontation with humanitarian crises. Securing water is a fundamental right, as is ensuring the operation of bakeries, which should not be disrupted by war. Addressing this crisis begins with providing real and sustainable alternatives. The responsibility now requires bold decisions that respond to citizens’ needs and restore confidence in the state’s ability to protect their basic rights under current circumstances.
Your efforts since the outbreak of the war are appreciated as you reorganize administrative operations these days through ministerial adjustments and reducing administrative layers. It is necessary to review the efficiency of devices and working teams, instilling responsibility and readiness in all state personnel. Crisis management during wartime differs significantly from peace management. Do not allow opportunities for the enemy to exploit, even if it means delaying procedures or weak implementation.
The upcoming phase requires adopting radical strategies focusing on service sustainability, protecting citizens’ rights, strengthening institutional coordination between government and military entities, and developing proactive plans that enable the state to restore security and achieve peace.
Stay safe and well.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
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