Sudan’s Bashir re-elected to a new term

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir was re-elected for a new term yesterday after receiving 94 per cent of the votes despite a low turnout and a boycott by opposition groups.

National Electoral Commission chief Mokhtar Al-Asam announced Al-Bashir’s victory during a press conference held in the capital Khartoum.

Al-Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) won 323 of the 426 parliamentary seats, Al-Asam said, explaining that the turnout was 46.4 per cent, higher than African Union monitors’ estimates of 30-35 per cent.

During a televised speech broadcasted yesterday, Al-Bashir thanked his supporters and those who voted for him saying the Sudanese people have once again given a new lesson in ethics, integrity, transparency and civilisation.

Al-Bashir stressed that Sudan was a free country and will not accept guardianship or dictations, promising a new era of development and prosperity for the Sudanese people.

The NCP called his supporters to join a rally of support in central Khartoum later today.

This is the first general elections in Sudan since South Sudan gained independence in 2011.

The official results will be announced when the appeal period concludes within two weeks.