CAR Election: Government Says Sunday’s Polls Were Fully Legitimate & Credible

Central African Republic’s (CAR) government spokesman Ange Maxime Kazagui on Tuesday claimed legislative and presidential elections were fully legitimate and credible, despite the fact that the first round held earlier this weekend was marred by violence by armed groups occupying two-thirds of a territory hampered by civil war, reported Africa News.

Kazagui said the election was held in the 16 prefectures of the CAR. He added that 800 polling stations were not opened, out of 5,408, as armed rebels attacked voters and barred electoral staff from working. Notably, thousands of people were prevented from voting because of the threat of violence from rebels fighting to oust President Faustin Archange Touadera.

According to the United Nations, over 55,000 people have fled their homes for fear of violence in recent weeks. The Human Rights Watch said at least five civilians had been killed.

”This means that 85% of the polling stations were open to the public”, he said.

The government spokesman said that no threshold has been fixed for the legitimacy of a vote.

“We have seen in the West turn-out rates of sometimes 40 percent, but these elections have been accepted,” he argued.

Mariam Aladji, head of mission of the Community of Sahel Saharan States (CEN-SAD), said the voting process continued to completion even with a few reported incidents within the country.

The first partial results are expected to be out on Monday, January 4 with final results on January 19. Touadera, 63, is strongly favored to win a second term.

He is expected to face competition from Anicet Georges Dologuele, a former prime minister who finished runner-up in 2016 and is supported by former President Francois Bozize, whose presidential election application was rejected by the CAR constitutional court.

 A possible second round of the election will be held on February 14 if there is no outright winner in the first round.