20100409
ALALAM

Sudan's political parties are preparing on Friday for their last day of campaigning before voting begins on Sunday.

President Omar al-Beshir, whose resources have allowed him to stage rallies in all corners of the country, is expected to make a final campaign speech later in the day.

South Sudan leader Salva Kiir is expected to address a rally in Juba, the southern capital.

Three days of polling in presidential, legislative and local elections begin on Sunday in Sudan's first multi-party elections since 1986.

Residents of south Sudan will also be voting for the leader of the semi-autonomous government there.

The election has been marred by a boycott of the opposition parties on the presidential level, although legislative and local elections are expected to be more competitive.

The Umma party, one of the two largest opposition groups, announced its boycott on Wednesday.

Umma was among a group of opposition parties that had given the government four days from April 2 to implement key reforms in return for a pledge to take part in elections postponed to May.

The Umma announcement came just hours after the European Union said it was withdrawing its election monitors from Darfur, citing security issues.

The Sudanese authorities however confirmed that the withdrawal of European monitors from Darfur would not affect the elections.

The former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement had already decided to boycott the election in northern Sudan, after withdrawing its presidential candidate Yasser Arman from the race.

However, the SPLM said it would still field candidates in the sensitive border states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, where the party enjoys support.

The US also said on Thursday that it will support the postponement of elections in the Sudan for a brief period to allegedly ensure more security.

US envoy to the United Nations Susan Rice claimed "disturbing trends" could mar the outcome of the vote.

She said a decision by the European Union to withdraw observers from Darfur underscored "how insecure and problematic the electoral process is in that portion of the country and elsewhere."