This book tells the story of the Sudanese revolution of
2019; of how it succeeded in bringing down the long-standing rule of President
Omar al-Bashir; and of the troubled transitional civilian-led government that
was installed in his place. It sets the scrupulously non-violent uprising in
its historical context, showing how the protesters drew upon the precedents of
earlier civic revolutions and adapted their practices to the challenges of the
al-Bashir regime. The book also explores how that regime was brought to its
knees through its inability to manage the intersecting economic and political
crises caused by the secession of South Sudan and the loss of oil revenue,
alongside the uncontrolled expansion of a sprawling security apparatus.
The civilian protesters called for-and expected-a total
transformation of Sudanese politics, but they found themselves grappling with a
still-dominant cabal of generals, who had powerful regional backers and a
strong hold over the economy. Internally divided, and faced with a deepening
economic crisis, the civilian government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok
has found itself in office, but with less and less real power, unable to change
the conduct of political business as usual.