Former Central African Republic PM leads in presidential vote

FILE – In this file photo taken Wednesday, April 16, 2014, Muslim refugees listen to a radio at the Catholic church in Carnot, Central African Republic, where they are taking shelter from Christian militants.

Two thirds of the 30 candidates standing for president of Central African Republic on Monday demanded the authorities halt the vote count because of what they said were irregularities in the ballot.

Almost 2 million Central African Republic citizens were registered to vote December 30 in much-delayed national elections meant to replace a transitional government and bring stability after years of sectarian violence.

Bilal Nzanga-Kolingba, son of a former president, was third with 25,055 votes while Jean Serge Bokassa, son of former dictator Jean-Bedel Bokassa had 10,672.

Voters went to the polls on Wednesday in hopes of ending the conflict that erupted when a largely Muslim rebel alliance overthrew a Christian president in 2013, provoking a horrific backlash from Christian militias.

With all votes from the capital counted, the National Election Authority said Faustin Archange Touadera, prime minister from 2008 to 2013, had 30,999 votes followed by another former prime minister, Anicet Georges Dologuele, with 28,162.

Around a million people have been driven from their homes, out of a population of around five million.

“These serious shortcomings that have marred the electoral process will lead to the rejection of the results, inevitably causing [a] new conflagration in the country”.

United Nations peacekeepers patrolled the streets of Central African Republic throughout the day and positioned armoured personnel carriers at voting stations, after gunmen attacked voters in the capital and elsewhere during a referendum on the new constitution last month.

Saturday’s results are from Bangui, the capital.

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