Omanis vote in municipal elections

Voters are choosing 202 councillors for 11 municipalities from among 731 candidates, including 23 women.

An Omani man has his finger stained with ink after casting his ballot at a polling station in Al Suwayq, in northeastern Oman, in nationwide municipal elections on December 25, 2016. Mohammed Mahjoub Show more

Muscat // Voters in Oman headed to the polls on Sunday to choose municipal councillors in only the second local election held in the sultanate.

More than 620,000 Omanis were registered to take part in the election, which will choose 202 councillors for 11 municipalities including the capital Muscat. There were 731 candidates, including 23 women, for the four-year posts.

The councillors will have limited powers, as authorities will designate the chairmen and deputy chairmen for the municipalities from outside those elected.

“I voted for the person who will best represent me,” said Jawhara Al Zadjali said as she left a polling station in Muscat.

Ruled by Sultan Qaboos since 1970, Oman has made tentative steps towards reform in recent years, though political parties remain banned.

In 1994 it became the first Gulf monarchy to give the vote to women and in 2011 Sultan Qaboos decreed that elections be held for municipal councils.

At the national level, Oman has a consultative council with limited powers, the 85-member Majlis Al Shura.

Sultan Qaboos slightly expanded the powers of the majlis in 2011 after unprecedented social unrest when the normally quiet nation became caught up in protests which swept the Arab world.

* Agence France-Presse