The 17th Karen National Union (KNU) Congress elected Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win as the 10th KNU Chairman on 2 May.

He took over from 91 -year-old Saw Mutu Pho who retired.

The 17th KNU Congress started on 24 April in the KNU Administrative area. It is normally held every four years and the 17th Congress was originally due to have been held in 2022, but had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the coup.

“In the election, Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win won with 70 votes over Saw Sel Gay from KNU Brigade (3) with 68 votes”, said an attendee to Mizzima.

Padoh Saw Kwe has a degree in economics from Yangon University and was KNU Brigade 4 chairman from 1990 to 2012.

On 3 May the Congress also elected the KNU General Secretary Joint Secretaries (1) and (2) and 45 Central Committee members.

KNU Brigades 2 and 5 did not attend the Congress or vote in the elections. There are seven KNU brigades and enough attended the Congress to make the votes binding.