Myanmar Junta Chief Presses Election Drive in Tour of Three Regions

Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing has toured seven towns and one city across three regions since rebranding his regime in late July as part of preparations for an election widely viewed as a tool to lend the regime a veneer of legitimacy.

His itinerary took him to Taungoo and Bago in Bago Region, followed by Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and then to Magwe Region, where he visited the regional capital Magwe, his native Minbu, as well as Chauk, Yenangyaung and Aunglan. The seven towns and Yangon are slated to host voting in the first phase of elections on Dec. 28.

Unlike his previous tours, which focused heavily on development rhetoric and narratives about military-led governance, Min Aung Hlaing emphasized the election in his latest round of visits. In Taungoo on Aug. 2, he urged military personnel to contribute to national development and support the electoral process.