In the spotlight: the results of the elections in the Central African Republic and Niger
Audio 04:22
Counting in the polling station located in the Boganda high school, in Bangui, the Central African capital, Sunday, December 27, 2020. AP
By: Sébastien Duhamel
10 mins
Publicity
In the Central African Republic, first of all, presidential and legislative elections yesterday which took place "
in a tense security context
" recalls radio
Ndele Luka
.
On her website, she takes stock of this day and observes that “
several cities did not have the chance to participate in these polls.
This is the case for example with Bouar, Bozoum, Bambari, Kaga Bandoro, Kabo, Batangafo, the list is long,
”
Ndele Luka
tells us
.
The double ballot disrupted by armed groups
A list at least partially taken up by the
RJDH
, the Network of Journalists for Human Rights.
He confirms, for example, that in Bouar, in the west, “
the rebels of the coalition of patriots for change invaded the city and started firing shots at 4 am to prevent the population
” from surrendering to ballot boxes.
The occupation of the city of Baboua also prevented the polls from being held.
Same story in Bambari, with very early in the morning, "
warning shots to send a message to the population
".
The
RJDH
also reports that in Ngaoundaye
“
sensitive materials and the ballot papers were taken by 3R elements in the regions
”.
A calm vote in Bangui and other cities
But the vote was still able to take place peacefully in Bangui and other cities.
Ndele Luka
notes that thousands of Central Africans have nevertheless "braved the fear" to go to the polling centers in Bangui.
In the capital, "
the mobilization was strong
"
estimates the radio, with
"
long queues of voters
"
who spent
"
hours under the sun despite the delay in the delivery of electoral material to several centers
".
A vote also followed in many other localities of the country, underlines the article.
And abroad too, he concludes, "
Central Africans in the diaspora voted in France, the United States, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire and the Republic of Congo
".
The eye of the international press
A double Central African election, moreover, widely followed by the international press.
Very followed even by the French press.
Le Figaro,
for example, relates "
elections under pressure
",
Liberation
, "
a ballot with restricted participation
"
.
In Belgium, the
RTBF site
evokes a criticized ballot which “
throws oil on the fire
”, using the words of a researcher here.
An analysis shared by
L'Observateur
in Burkina Faso.
He believes that it is the exclusion of François Bozizé who "
woke up the old demons of politico-military divisions
" and that yesterday's elections "
pose more problems than they solve
", "
because the groups The rebels will not lay down their arms anytime soon and the new president, contested before being elected, will have authority only over Bangui and the surrounding localities, and under strong supervision of MINUSCA
”.
With these elections "by
forceps
", concludes
the Observer
, "
the legality is therefore safe, but as regards the legitimacy of elected officials, it will be necessary to go back
".
Presidential and legislative elections in Niger
Other elections in the press today, in Niger, presidential and legislative.
It was "
a historic day
" for
Tamtam Info,
"
because it is the first time in Niger that a democratically elected President will be replaced by another equally democratically elected
", estimates the website.
It shows, with supporting photos, the outgoing Mahamadou Issoufou's vote at "
office 00 of Niamey town hall
".
The same office where the PNDS candidate, Mohamed Bazoum, voted.
The Sahel
, for its part, relays the words of Mahamadou Issoufou yesterday.
He hopes that "
this first alternation will allow Niger to consolidate its status as a model of democracy in Africa and in the world
"
.
Actu Niger
for its part shares the results of the Coalition for Citizen Observation of Elections, which deployed 750 observers yesterday.
A report showing "
some shortcomings, but a calm vote in the 311 monitored offices
".
Actu Niger also
publishes the opinion of ECOWAS observers, who seemed to appreciate "
the peaceful and peaceful climate
" of this election day.
Elections again commented on by the international press.
It is "
a presidential election for an unprecedented peaceful transition
," observes
Le Monde Afriqu
e in France.
In Burkina Faso,
Le Pays also
welcomes "the
behavior of the outgoing president
"
, who
"
willingly accepted to comply with the Constitution
"
.
Thus, points out
Le Pays,
“
Niger is closing the door of the electoral avalanche that characterized the year 2020 in the West African sub-region.
And unlike what happened in Côte d'Ivoire or even in Guinea, where the ballots were marred by murderous violence linked to the challenge of the 3rd term sought by Alassane Ouattara and Alpha Condé, well, concludes the Burkinabè newspaper , in the country of Hamani Diori, everything suggests that democracy will emerge from the top on the occasion of this double ballot
”.
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