ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

2019 Sudanese transition to democracy

Okay, imagine you and your friends are playing a game, but there is a rule that only one person gets to make all the decisions. Sometimes, that person might not play fair or may not listen to what everyone else wants. This can make the game not very fun for everyone.

Well, in Sudan, the people had a similar problem. For a long time, they had a leader who made all the important decisions and did not listen to what the people wanted. The people in Sudan didn't think this was fair, and they wanted to have a say in how their country is run.

So, they started to protest. This means they got together in big groups and shouted and held signs to show that they were unhappy with how things were.

These protests went on for a long time, and many people joined in. They wanted their voices to be heard, and they wanted a change. They wanted a new leader who would listen to what the people wanted and make decisions that were fair for everyone.

Finally, their protests were successful! The old leader stepped down, which means he no longer wanted to be in charge. This made the people very happy because they knew their hard work had paid off.

But this was just the beginning. Now, the people needed to find a new leader and decide how to run the country in a fair and equal way. This process is called a transition to democracy.

To do this, the people in Sudan came together again, but this time they talked about what they wanted in a new leader and how they wanted their country to be run. They wanted someone who would listen to what everyone had to say and make decisions that are good for everyone, not just a few people.

They also talked about making new rules called a constitution. A constitution is like a set of rules that everyone agrees to follow. It helps to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and has rights and protections. They wanted a constitution that protected everyone's rights and made sure that the government couldn't have too much power.

These discussions and decisions took a lot of time and effort because it was important to get it right. Everyone wanted to make sure that the new leader and the new rules would create a government that is fair and listens to what the people want.

Once they had a plan in place, they held elections. Elections are like a big vote where everyone gets to choose who they want to be their leader. They looked for someone who had promised to follow the new rules and listen to what the people wanted.

When the votes were counted, a new leader was chosen who promised to bring about the changes the people were asking for. This made the people very happy because they knew that their voices had been heard and they would have a say in how their country is run.

Now, Sudan is moving towards becoming a democracy. This means that the people have a bigger role in making decisions and choosing their leaders. It may take some time for everything to fully change, but the people are excited about the progress they have made.

So, just like in a game, where everyone gets a chance to make decisions and play fair, the people in Sudan wanted the same thing for their country. They worked together to bring about a transition to democracy, where everyone's voice is heard and everyone is treated fairly.