Taifa la Myanmar linaendelea na zoezi la kupiga kura katika awamu ya pili ya uchaguzi, ambao hadi sasa umetawaliwa na chama kinachoungwa mkono na jeshi linalotawala, huku serikali ya kijeshi ikijaribu kupunguza uzito wa ushiriki mdogo wa wapiga kura katika awamu ya kwanza ya zoezi hilo linalokosolewa vikali na wengi kuwa ni la kinafiki.
Myanmar imekumbwa na machafuko makubwa tangu jeshi lilipompindua madarakani serikali ya kiraia mwaka 2021 na kumweka kizuizini kiongozi wake, mshindi wa Tuzo ya Amani ya Nobel, Aung San Suu Kyi. Tukio hilo lilisababisha vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vilivyoenea katika maeneo mengi ya nchi hiyo yenye zaidi ya watu milioni 51.
Chama cha National League for Democracy (NLD) cha Suu Kyi, ambacho kilishinda kwa kishindo chaguzi mbili zilizopita, kilivunjwa pamoja na vyama vingine vingi vinavyopinga utawala wa kijeshi kwa madai ya kushindwa kujisajili. Wakati huo huo, makundi ya waasi yalikataa kushiriki kwenye uchaguzi huo.
Umoja wa Mataifa, nchi nyingi za Magharibi pamoja na mashirika ya haki za binadamu zimesema uchaguzi huo ni mpango wa kulihalalisha jeshi kuendelea kutawala kupitia vyombo vya kiraia, wakisisitiza kuwa zoezi hilo si huru, si la haki wala halina uhalali bila uwepo wa upinzani wa maana.
Jeshi, hata hivyo, linadai uchaguzi huo unaungwa mkono na wananchi na unafanyika bila vitisho. Limejaribu kuupa taswira chanya uchaguzi huo baada ya awamu ya kwanza iliyofanyika Desemba 28 kushuhudia ushiriki wa asilimia 52 pekee ya wapiga kura. Awamu ya mwisho ya upigaji kura inatarajiwa kufanyika Januari 25.
Jeshi limesema uchaguzi huo utarejesha utulivu wa kisiasa nchini Myanmar, wakati nchi hiyo ikikabiliwa na moja ya majanga makubwa ya kibinadamu barani Asia, ambapo maelfu wameuawa na watu milioni 3.6 wamekimbia makazi yao, kwa mujibu wa Umoja wa Mataifa.
Hata hivyo, wachambuzi wanaonya kuwa juhudi za utawala wa kijeshi kuunda serikali thabiti wakati mapigano yakiendelea ni hatari, na serikali yoyote inayodhibitiwa na jeshi huenda ikakosa kutambuliwa kimataifa.
Msemaji wa serikali ya kijeshi, Zaw Min Tun, amesema serikali mpya itaundwa Aprili na itakubalika kimataifa, hatua itakayosaidia kuondolewa kwa vikwazo na kurejea kwa uwekezaji wa kigeni nchini humo.
===========
Voters in war-torn Myanmar cast ballots in the second stage of an election dominated so far by a party backed by the ruling military, as the junta sought to gloss over a low turnout in the initial round of a contest widely derided as a sham.
Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military staged a coup against a civilian government in 2021 and detained its leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, unleashing a civil war that engulfed swathes of the country of 51 million people.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, winner of the last two elections in landslides, has been dissolved along with dozens of other anti-junta parties for failing to register, while rebel groups refused to take part.
The United Nations, many Western countries and human rights groups say the election is a ploy to formalise junta rule through civilian proxies and the contest is neither free, fair nor credible without a meaningful opposition.
A final voting round will take place on January 25. The military has said the election will bring political stability to Myanmar, which is facing among the most serious humanitarian crises in Asia with thousands killed in conflict and, according to the United Nations, 3.6 million displaced.
However, analysts warn that the junta's attempt to form a stable administration amid raging conflict is fraught with risk and any military-controlled government is unlikely to gain broad international recognition.
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said a new government would be formed in April that would be accepted overseas, leading to sanctions being eased and a return of foreign investment.
Myanmar imekumbwa na machafuko makubwa tangu jeshi lilipompindua madarakani serikali ya kiraia mwaka 2021 na kumweka kizuizini kiongozi wake, mshindi wa Tuzo ya Amani ya Nobel, Aung San Suu Kyi. Tukio hilo lilisababisha vita vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe vilivyoenea katika maeneo mengi ya nchi hiyo yenye zaidi ya watu milioni 51.
Chama cha National League for Democracy (NLD) cha Suu Kyi, ambacho kilishinda kwa kishindo chaguzi mbili zilizopita, kilivunjwa pamoja na vyama vingine vingi vinavyopinga utawala wa kijeshi kwa madai ya kushindwa kujisajili. Wakati huo huo, makundi ya waasi yalikataa kushiriki kwenye uchaguzi huo.
Umoja wa Mataifa, nchi nyingi za Magharibi pamoja na mashirika ya haki za binadamu zimesema uchaguzi huo ni mpango wa kulihalalisha jeshi kuendelea kutawala kupitia vyombo vya kiraia, wakisisitiza kuwa zoezi hilo si huru, si la haki wala halina uhalali bila uwepo wa upinzani wa maana.
Jeshi, hata hivyo, linadai uchaguzi huo unaungwa mkono na wananchi na unafanyika bila vitisho. Limejaribu kuupa taswira chanya uchaguzi huo baada ya awamu ya kwanza iliyofanyika Desemba 28 kushuhudia ushiriki wa asilimia 52 pekee ya wapiga kura. Awamu ya mwisho ya upigaji kura inatarajiwa kufanyika Januari 25.
Jeshi limesema uchaguzi huo utarejesha utulivu wa kisiasa nchini Myanmar, wakati nchi hiyo ikikabiliwa na moja ya majanga makubwa ya kibinadamu barani Asia, ambapo maelfu wameuawa na watu milioni 3.6 wamekimbia makazi yao, kwa mujibu wa Umoja wa Mataifa.
Hata hivyo, wachambuzi wanaonya kuwa juhudi za utawala wa kijeshi kuunda serikali thabiti wakati mapigano yakiendelea ni hatari, na serikali yoyote inayodhibitiwa na jeshi huenda ikakosa kutambuliwa kimataifa.
Msemaji wa serikali ya kijeshi, Zaw Min Tun, amesema serikali mpya itaundwa Aprili na itakubalika kimataifa, hatua itakayosaidia kuondolewa kwa vikwazo na kurejea kwa uwekezaji wa kigeni nchini humo.
===========
Voters in war-torn Myanmar cast ballots in the second stage of an election dominated so far by a party backed by the ruling military, as the junta sought to gloss over a low turnout in the initial round of a contest widely derided as a sham.
Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military staged a coup against a civilian government in 2021 and detained its leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, unleashing a civil war that engulfed swathes of the country of 51 million people.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, winner of the last two elections in landslides, has been dissolved along with dozens of other anti-junta parties for failing to register, while rebel groups refused to take part.
The United Nations, many Western countries and human rights groups say the election is a ploy to formalise junta rule through civilian proxies and the contest is neither free, fair nor credible without a meaningful opposition.
'VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE'
The military insists the vote has public backing and is being conducted without coercion. It has sought to put a positive spin on the election after a first phase on December 28 had a turnout of just 52%.A final voting round will take place on January 25. The military has said the election will bring political stability to Myanmar, which is facing among the most serious humanitarian crises in Asia with thousands killed in conflict and, according to the United Nations, 3.6 million displaced.
However, analysts warn that the junta's attempt to form a stable administration amid raging conflict is fraught with risk and any military-controlled government is unlikely to gain broad international recognition.
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said a new government would be formed in April that would be accepted overseas, leading to sanctions being eased and a return of foreign investment.