Who runs local government in Sudan?
Sudan has been at war since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). There is no functioning elected government at any level: state governors are appointed, and in areas held by the RSF a rival administration appoints its own officials. In daily life, power often lies with native administration leaders (nazirs, omdas and sheikhs) and with volunteer Emergency Response Rooms that grew out of neighbourhood networks.
Republic of the Sudan · Federal republic in law (18 states); in practice divided by war, with a military-led government and a rival RSF-led authority · Northern Africa
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| States (18) | Governors appointed (under the 2019 Constitutional Charter, by the transitional authorities; since the war by the army-led Sovereignty Council in areas it controls, while the RSF-led authority names its own) | Security, administration and services within the state; capacity badly damaged by war. |
| Localities (mahaliyya) | Commissioners appointed by state governments | Basic administration and services; no elected local councils are currently functioning. |
| Administrative units and villages | Appointed officials working with native administration leaders | Lowest level of state presence. |
Three questions about local power in Sudan
Are local leaders elected?
No one at state or local level holds office through a current election. Governors and commissioners are appointed by the rival authorities. Native administration leaders usually inherit their role or are chosen within the lineage. ERR volunteers are chosen by peers.
Which laws set up local government?
States and localities are in law, and the 2019 Constitutional Charter promised a three-level federal system, but this was never fully set up. Native administration has partial legal recognition. ERRs and resistance committees are informal.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Appointees answer to the military-led authorities or the RSF-led authority, not to voters. Tribal leaders depend on community support and on recognition from whoever controls the area. ERRs answer to their communities and donors.
Traditional and customary authority
Native administration is a hierarchy of tribal leaders: the nazir (paramount leader of a large tribe), the omda (head of a section) and the sheikh (village or camp head). Created in its modern form under British rule, abolished in 1971 and later revived, it is recognised through state laws and works alongside appointed officials. Leaders settle land, grazing and blood-money disputes, help allocate land and mediate between communities. During the war both sides have sought the backing of tribal leaders, and some have been targeted in attacks. Religious leaders, including Sufi orders, also have strong local influence.
Community and neighbourhood power
Neighbourhood resistance committees formed during the 2018–2019 uprising. Since April 2023 many members have run Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs): volunteer groups that run community kitchens, clinics, water repairs and evacuations. The UN described them in 2024 as a kind of 'local emergency government' and reported that they had reached more than four million civilians. They are not part of the formal state, and volunteers have faced harassment and attacks from armed parties.
Points to know
- In January 2026 the UN estimated that about 13.6 million people had been uprooted by the fighting and about 33.7 million would need aid in 2026.
- The UN Secretary-General highlighted around 700 Emergency Response Rooms in October 2024.
- Who appoints local officials depends on which force controls the town.
Local terms
- Nazir
- The paramount leader of a large tribe in the native administration.
- Omda
- A leader of a tribal section, below the nazir.
- Emergency Response Room (ERR)
- A volunteer community group providing food, health care and other help during the war.
Sources
- Sudan's Constitutional Charter for the Transitional Period 2019, Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Youth-led 'emergency rooms' shine rays of hope in war-torn Sudan (3 February 2024), UN News, checked 14 October 2026
- Sudan trapped in a 'nightmare of violence', UN chief tells Security Council (October 2024), UN News, checked 14 October 2026
- Sudan war leaves millions hungry and displaced as health system nears collapse (10 January 2026), UN News, checked 14 October 2026
- Sudan: UN expert calls for more support to Emergency Response Rooms volunteers (February 2026), Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), checked 14 October 2026
- Sudan (country page), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), checked 14 October 2026
See also: Sudan's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.