Sudanese trickled into polling stations on Tuesday to vote in the country’s first competitive elections in 24 years, after polling was extended by two days due to a chaotic start.
“There are few people this morning. There is no rush because people have two more days to vote,” said Fawzia Ahmed Mirghani from a polling station in Khartoum.
There were no queues as just a handful of people went into the polling station in a local school to cast their ballots in the landmark election where Sudanese are asked to choose a president, as well as local and legislative representatives.
“There are 1 020 registered voters in this office. In two days, about 450 people have voted,” said Yasser Abdallah, who oversees registration.
“The pressure is off now because of the extension. People don’t have to rush in, they can take their time,” said Ghada Abdelbaset, one of the staff on hand.
The National Election Commission on Monday announced an extension of the three-day vote until Thursday, after a chaotic start due to logistical problems on the first day of voting on Sunday.
Before polling started, the credibility of the vote had already been marred by a pullout of the opposition, who accused President Omar al-Bashir’s National Congress Party of rigging the election.
With the withdrawal of key presidential challengers, Yasser Arman of the former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement and former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, al-Bashir looks to secure a comfortable win.
By contrast, legislative and local elections remain fiercely competitive in many parts of the country. — AFP