Sudanese women resident in Kenya are taken through the voting process. [© Gurtong]
Sudanese citizens in Kenya began casting their votes at the Embassy of Sudan in the Kenyan capital Nairobi early today.
According to the head of the voting committee at the embassy Mohammed Fadl, the Sudanese voters who registered during the November 2009 registration are expected to vote for the Government of Sudan President during the 3-day activity.
He said the 256 Sudanese nationals who registered will vote for a leader of their choice at the Nairobi polling centre.
“So far we have slightly over 60 Sudanese nationals who have already voted and we expect more to come in as the exercise progresses”, Fadl told Gurtong at noon today.
He said the withdrawal from the polls by some candidates would not affect the process, adding that the ballot papers had already been printed and would remain so.
The Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya Majok Guandong said the election was a historic moment in the lives of most Sudanese as some of them were voting for the first time in their lives.
![The Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya Majok Guandong talks to the press at the embassy. [© Gurtong]](/Portals/0/GlobalResources/EN/images/Editorial/Guandong.jpg)
The Sudanese Ambassador to Kenya Majok Guandong talks to the press at the embassy. [© Gurtong]
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“The young people who have never voted in their lives now have an opportunity to exercise their freedom and democratic right to elect leaders of their choice”, he said.
He expressed optimism that the elections would be peaceful and dismissed allegations that the elections had already been rigged in favour of a particular party.
“This is the first time am hearing of an election being rigged before the actual election day. How can that happen?” he posed.
Guandong dispelled fears that the elections would not be valid, saying that the withdrawal of a few political parties cannot derail the entire process.