Stockholm-Presidential elections by the Diaspora in the Nordic Countries yesterday attracted what could be a record turn out as Rwandans from all corners of the region—many of them voting for the first time in their lives—converged on the Swedish capital Stockholm, and the border towns of Malmö and Strömstad.

Rwandans from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland were casting their ballots a day ahead of the elections in Rwanda along with the rest of the Diaspora.

"I had to do this”, said a tired and emotional Jean Pierre Niyikora, a 46-year old construction worker as he stepped into the Rwandan Embassy in Stockholm after an 18-hour on road and sea from the Finish town of Turku.

"Our country has come a long way. The least we can do to acknowledge this is to participate in an event like this that strengthens those gains,” he added as he struggled to hold back a tear or two.

Niyikora, among the first to vote in Stockholm, cast his ballot and immediately headed back to Stockholm Port for another 18-hour journey back home.

Also casting their ballot following a marathon journey was Jean Rwabuhungu, who managed over eight hours by train from a remote town inside the Arctic Circle.

In the Swedish city of Malmö, 650 kilometers south of Stockholm close to the Denmark border, Rwandans from Denmark lined up at a high school turned into polling station to cast their ballots.

For some, adults of advanced age, the elections marked the first time in their lives at a polling station.

"This is a historic day for me and my family,” said Sabrina Kamikazi from the Danish city of Aalborg, with her daughter and her husband in tow.

"We have people spending anything from a full day to several hours travelling by sea, land and air to vote. This is phenomenal,” said Rwandan Ambassador to the Nordic countries, Jacqueline Mukangira.

"The level of commitment I witnessed today is far and beyond any expectations. I’m humbled by the effort put in by the Rwandan Diaspora in the Nordics.”

The Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland cover a very large territory of land including many remote towns and villages in the wild Arctic Circle.  Sweden alone covers a territory about 14 times the size of Rwanda.

The Rwandan Diaspora from Norway cast their ballots in Strömstad, a small city in Western Sweden along the Norwegian boarder.

As per election guidelines, ballots for the Nordic Countries, along with those of other Diaspora polling stations, will be counted on Monday.

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