The Sudan Handbook

islamism & thE statE 181

that phase witnessed the genesis of the clientelist state.

The split of 1999/2000 and departure of Turabi and his group effec-

tively led to the decline of the authoritarian state. A divided ruling elite

cannot maintain an authoritarian state unless one faction subdues the

other. Subsequent political developments such as the negotiation and

signing up of the CPA, and other peace agreements brought other players

on the scene, chief among which is the SPLM which became a partner in

government alongside the NCP. Nonetheless, the Islamist ruling group

maintained its hegemony over state and society; it also maintained its

security arm and the will to deploy that force as it deemed necessary.

With the inflow of oil revenue from 1999, the inner circle of the regime

found it more effective to build and utilize its patronage networks, and

so the clientelist state emerged.

The clientelist state rested on a new patronage system, the result of

the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of the Islamists and

under the custody of their regime. Opportunities, goods and services

became virtually inaccessible to the public without the support or approval

of a state official at some level. This situation was compounded by the

absence of meaningful political participation, a lack of accountability

among state officials, and the almost total destruction of independent

civil society forums. With no means to articulate their demands or assert

their rights, members of the public have no other option but to seek

help from those in power. Unlike conventional patronage patterns where

patrons are made up of local notables, patrons of the Islamist regime are

either local or provincial officials, or those tribal/religious leaders who

pledged loyalty to the regime. The availability of oil revenues since 1999

has enhanced the capacity of the regime to sustain its patronage system

through rewards, co-option and penalties.

The Islamization Scheme and its Dynamics

According to Islamist movements in general, Islam is both a religion and

a way of life, and therefore is as relevant in the public domain as in the

The Sudan Handbook, edited by John Ryle, Justin Willis, Suliman Baldo and Jok Madut Jok. © 2011 Rift Valley Institute and contributors private sphere. Within this framework, the Sudanese Islamist movement

(www.riftvalley.net).