The first round of the presidential and legislative elections of Central African Republic, crucial for this country two-thirds occupied by armed groups, the main ones of which are leading an offensive against the regime of outgoing and favorite President Faustin Archange Touadéra, took place on Sunday, December 27.
The rebel groups had sworn, ten days ago, to “To walk on Bangui To prevent the ballot, but they were finally kept at a distance from the capital of this country among the poorest in the world, in civil war for eight years. Hundreds Russian paramilitaries and Rwandan soldiers joined the 11,500 Blue helmet the peacekeeping force of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca) to maintain calm.
Queues
In Bangui, early in the morning on Sunday, voters rushed en masse to the polling stations. In the queues at the Petevo high school, in the south of the city, residents were even complaining about the delay at opening.
At office number 4, the young chief Justin Nzapali Donatien, an electro-mechanic by profession, harangued the ten observers from the different parties to hurry up to vote, so that he could let the voters in. “We were a little late, but I’m confident we’ll be fine. The safety devices are in place, I am not worried. “ Special forces arrived as reinforcements this week were standing guard nearby.
The unrest and rumors of tensions in the capital did not frighten voters. According to civil society observers from the Rainbow Network, there were queues as soon as it opened in seven polling stations in Bangui. “The enemies of peace would not want these elections to succeed. We must show in the eyes of international and national opinion that the democratic process is indeed underway ”, underlined Guy Roger Nelo, lawyer.
For Thierry Yanga, who comes out of a polling station with his thumb stained with indelible ink, “The elections should have been postponed. But it is the law, it is my duty, I come to vote for my president. “
Heavy weapon fire
Outside of Bangui, however, the situation was very confused. The strategy of the rebels of the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a motley alliance of armed groups determined to upset the electoral process and coordinated by ex-President François Bozizé, worked: the ballot was massively disrupted elsewhere in the country.
In Bouar, the rebels fired heavy weapons, according to several sources, in the early hours of the morning and freed the prisoners in the city. An attempt to open offices at midday failed. The second city of the country, which has 47,000 inhabitants, could not vote.
By midday, the Rainbow Network had at least nine prefectures affected by the unrest. “Given the situation, we will experience a gap between forecasts and participation”, euphemized the General Rapporteur of the Elections Authority, Théophile Momokouama. Other cities, such as Berberati, were able to start voting in the middle of the day. But quid voters in this insecure situation?
What legitimacy will the president and the 140 designated deputies have? On Sunday, the Central African group elections took on the appearance of a partial ballot. The first partial results are expected on January 4 and the final results will not arrive until January 19. A possible second round would take place on February 14.
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