Elections 2010

In April 2010, Sudan held its first national election in more than 20 years. At the elections, the Sudanese people were asked whom they want for the country's leader the next four years. Both the president of Sudan, the president of the Government of Southern Sudan and the governors for each state were up for elections in addition to all the legislative assemblies.

This was the first democratic election in Sudan for more than 20 years. The concepts of democracy, ballots and free elections were therefore unfamiliar to most people in Southern Sudan. In the previous election in Sudan, the people of Southern Sudan had no say in the selection of the common president and their own president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, was appointed by the party, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, and not the population.

Before the elections, MS Sudan supported activities that made people and their leaders in local government aware of their democratic rights and duties – in general and especially in relation to elections.