In the Central African Republic, a fraction of voters have been called to the polls since Sunday morning, March 14, for the second round of legislative elections. We also vote in constituencies where the first ballot on 27 December was canceled or prevented for security reasons. At noon on Sunday, no major incidents were reported, although Minusca confirms that the vote was blocked in some areas of the country.
as reported from Bangui, Charlotte Cosset
At the polling station Koudoukou school in the 3rd district of PK5, Bangui district, everything is going well this time. Last December 23 had to be canceled because the lack of some of the election material as well as incomplete lists had prevented the vote from taking place normally, which had created frustration and dissatisfaction among voters in December.
Today, there is no problem of this kind, although offices opened with a slight delay. So people are going to pick one of the 24 candidates in this first round of this constituency. By noon, in the office where we are, it is estimated that about half of the registrants have arrived.
There is no line in front of the offices here, there are no crowds like in December, but voters are appearing sparsely, and it is still necessary to point out the high proportion among these voters of women, young women, but also older women who insisted on coming and deposit their vote in the ballot box. They say it’s time for them to choose what they want for their neighborhood.
Security issues, nothing to report. The UN’s Minusca force and internal security forces have been deployed. The people we were able to talk to confirm that they were not afraid to travel to vote.
A rather positive initial assessment
With regard to the progress of these Central African legislative elections, an initial mid-day assessment is being prepared by the Arc-en-ciel network. The larger observation network for civil society is quite positive at this time. According to Father Fréderic Nakombo, its coordinator, there are no major incidents and rather enthusiasm in cities like Bossangoa, the stronghold of the opposition, where the first round had not taken place.
The first assessment is quite encouraging at the moment. We have not noticed any major incidents. At Bangui level, there is a bit of excitement at the moment […] but in the hinterland, observers on the ground confirm that there is enthusiasm and that participation is active on the part of voters.
Father Frederic Nakombo, coordinator of the Arc-en-ciel network
Voting prevented in some areas of the country
La Minusca, as set out in its mandate, provides significant technical and logistical support for the organization of the electoral process. It also has a central place in the electoral security plan. The Secretary-General of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Central African Republic Mankeur Ndiaye, passing through the Koudoukou polling station, assures us that Minusca has mobilized all its forces, including its reserves, to deploy as much of it as possible on the ground. He confirms that voting was prevented in some areas of the country.
They also tried by actions here and there to scare the population and then panic. They are still going on in some places. So we do our best to ensure that the vote takes place in certain areas. ANE will assess and see in which locations the vote could not be organized.
Mankeur Ndiaye, Representative to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the Central African Republic
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