"Residents of Kawmhu Township, about 27 kilometres southwest of Yangon, voted for the second phase of Myanmar's general elections on Sunday, with former political prisoner and leader of the People's Party Ko Ko Gyi aiming for a seat in the parliament. Footage shows locals arriving at the polling station in Aye Buddha Lone Monastery and registering to vote. Representatives of the People's Party also came to the venue and observed the procedure. "Since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (former State Counsellor of Myanmar) was arrested, the people of Kawmhu Township have given up on politics. No one is interested anymore," explained U Kyaw Kyaw That, a member of the People's Party. "I explained that there are parties and they can choose the one they like and join. It took a lot of convincing," he continued. While encouraging people to vote and safeguard their rights, the representative also underlined the need for a 'fair election', where the parliament should comprise of a 'diverse range of parties'. "There are many ways to change the country. Let's say a coup, let's say a takeover, let's say a takeover, many people are unhappy with the military taking power [...] there is a lot of armed conflict," U Kyaw Kyaw noted. "I don't believe that there will be any change from that. I chose the political path that has been talked about and criticised only because I believe that only the political path can bring change to the country," he added. The People's Party candidate Ko Ko Gyi, a former student activist who spent 1989–2012 in prison under the military junta, is expected to contest the seat formerly held by Aung San Suu Kyi, ousted in the 2021 coup and sentenced to 27 years in prison. As the country remains in civil conflict, the elections are being held in three phases for security reasons. In the first phase, polling stations opened in 102 townships, with the second and third phases scheduled for January 11 and 25, covering 265 of the country's 330 townships. A total of 57 political parties are contesting at the regional level, and six parties are competing nationwide. The United Nations, European Union and United Kingdom have condemned the elections as illegitimate, citing the 2021 military coup, ongoing conflict, human rights abuses and restrictions on political freedoms. In contrast, China, Russia, India and several other countries have endorsed the process, sending election observers to Myanmar."