A new wave of public protests has swept across Kirkuk, with residents from different communities taking to the streets to demand better basic services and relief from rising living costs.
Demonstrators have voiced their frustration over electricity and water shortages, high private generator prices, unemployment, and worsening economic conditions. The Kurdish Globe spoke with Hassan Majid, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) faction in the Kirkuk Provincial Council, about the causes of the protests and possible solutions.
Majid said Kirkuk residents had shown considerable patience despite years of hardship and injustice. He identified the rising cost of living and sharp increases in private generator electricity prices as the main reasons behind the latest demonstrations.
He added that fuel shortages and other longstanding problems had contributed to public frustration, with accumulated grievances now coming to the surface.
Economic pressures have further intensified the situation. Majid pointed to market price fluctuations, the rising value of the US dollar, and limited job opportunities as major challenges facing residents.
He also raised concerns about employment practices among companies working on projects with British Petroleum (BP). According to Majid, around 80 percent of these companies and the workers they bring to Kirkuk come from outside the province. Combined with limited public-sector recruitment, he said, this has left many local university graduates unemployed.
Majid described the current demonstrations as unusually widespread, saying Kirkuk had not witnessed protests of such scale across its neighborhoods and districts in many years.
He also pointed to an administrative vacuum caused by the absence of an officially appointed governor. In response to the growing crisis, the Provincial Council held a meeting and submitted a series of recommendations to relevant government authorities.
The proposed measures include reducing private generator electricity prices, installing smart meters to help households monitor their monthly electricity consumption and service hours, and increasing fuel allocations to generators to ensure operators can continue providing services without financial losses.
Majid stressed that resolving Kirkuk’s problems requires keeping public services away from political disputes and demonstrating strong administrative commitment.
He said the Provincial Council and local administration must act quickly on their promises and secure the necessary funding to improve essential services.
The latest protests reflect growing public frustration with living conditions and the delivery of basic services. Whether the authorities can respond effectively will depend on their ability to turn promises into practical action. Failure to address residents’ demands could lead to further demonstrations and greater social instability in Kirkuk.
