PH Embassy in Nairobi Closes Overseas Voting

Philippine Embassy in Nairobi last voter Father Deem Virtudazo, who has lived in Kenya for seven years. (Nairobi PE photo)

NAIROBI 18 May 2019 — As the Philippines Embassy in Nairobi closed for voting at exactly 1:00 p.m. on 13 May 2019 in Kenya, which  corresponds to the 6:00 p.m. closing of poll precincts in Manila, Ambassador to Kenya Alex G. Chua expressed that he is “proud of our modest 18 percent voter turnout, considering that our kababayans came from the far reaches of East Africa to cast their ballots personally.”

“I am amazed that people travel far and wide just to do their duty to their country. We have voters from Rwanda and Somalia purposefully travelling to Kenya, just to cast their votes,” Ambassador Chua added.

The 18 percent voter turnout is two percent higher than the last mid-term elections in 2013, which is high considering the unpredictable migration pattern of Filipinos in East Africa.

Increased votes may be attributed to the field voting conducted by the Embassy in three countries within its jurisdiction, namely, Seychelles, Uganda and Tanzania.

Countries under the Embassy’s jurisdiction include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Uganda, and United Republic of Tanzania.

Nairobi is one of the Embassies which the Commission on Elections assigned to use Personal Mode of Voting, where voters personally appear at the Embassy to cast their ballots. END

For more information, visit www.nairobipe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinKenya/