Kampala, January 27 (Darfur24)
The civil administration affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South and East Darfur states has allegedly begun conducting a census of civil servants, as part of efforts to reorganize public institutions under its control.
Sources told Darfur24 that the administration in East Darfur has instructed directors of government institutions, executive officers, and local civil committees to carry out the enumeration process. They cited difficulties in paying salaries, refusal by some civil servants to work under the new administration, and the exit of large numbers of public employees from the state as challenges they face.
In South Darfur, the sources said the civil administration has also completed a census of employees in ministries, departments, and local authorities, in preparation for redistributing staff under a new work plan.
They noted that local government offices recorded relatively high participation in the census process, while turnout was lower in state-level ministries and departments.
According to the sources, the last official civil service statistics in 2018 recorded around 29,000 employees in South Darfur. However, the current enumeration has so far registered fewer than 6,000 employees across multiple sectors.
The RSF controls most of the Darfur region, comprising five states, as well as West Kordofan State and parts of North and South Kordofan.
Sources said most public employees in South Darfur have left the state through internal displacement or have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the outbreak of the war.
They added that the civil administration in South Darfur has begun appointing new administrative officers, with further appointments expected in the coming months. The administration also plans to open recruitment for new graduates and workers next February.
The parallel government formed by the Founding Alliance has decided to manage Darfur states’ affairs through the civilian administrations established by the RSF, according to the sources.