By Paulina ZidiPosted on 23-06-2019Modified on the 23-06-2019 at 20:32
The first round of the presidential election was held this Saturday, June 22. And just hours after the polls closed, the ruling party's candidate, General Ghazouani, announced his victory. A position not very popular in some neighborhoods of Nouakchott close to the opposition.
From our special correspondent in Nouakchott,
In the early morning, while the country is still sleeping, the statement of General Ghazouani goes almost unnoticed. In any case, it has not yet arrived in the pro-opposition neighborhoods of the capital. " I have not heard anything yet, I do not know anything at all, " says a surprised man in the street Sebkha surprised.
In this commune of Nouakchott, it is the calm which dominates this Sunday morning. Some posters of the countryside are still posted on the walls. Rather in the colors of these neighborhoods acquired by the opposition. A little further, in front of a shop, there are three young people sitting on a motorcycle. Ibrahim voted for Biram. He is a factor in France, he returned on vacation for the elections. " The declaration of Ghazouani is anything," he says . For once, many people have been voting, and if Ghazouani won it is not normal. "
At his side is Hussein. He is a prominent supporter of Biram Dah Abeid, whose campaign poster is on his motorcycle. And for him, this victory of power is also inconceivable: " This is false, it is not true. Ghazouani can not win here. Nobody knows him, he's a general. If he wins, it means that there is theft. We know that we mobilized people. And Hussein warns, " We are ready to die for our country. We want freedom. For me, if he is elected it will be worse than before. Here, there is slavery, racism. It has to change. "
" It's going to create problems "
A taxi stops. Inside there is Babacar. He then discovers the statement of the candidate in power and he also begins to worry about the following events: " The results, they are not really clear. If it's not clear, it will create problems. In the shop next door, a woman calls out to us: " It's not true. We know that it is not true. They lied. "A result that is not ready to accept Abounies:" It's not logical, it's not normal. Opposing candidates must challenge this. "
And at the same time, a few kilometers away, the opposition candidates have been meeting in camera since 10 am They too were surprised by this statement in the middle of the night. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, Biram Dah Abeid, Mohamed Ould Maouloud and Kane Hamidou Baba are putting the finishing touches on a joint statement they are preparing to read in front of a crowd of journalists. And while all media have their eyes turned to these four figures, in neighborhoods favorable to the opposition, anger is expressed.
Rise of anger
Burnt tires, barricades, bus returned, a large smoke escapes from these bastions of the opposition. Firefighters are on site busy extinguishing the first fires. In the district of Sebkha, yet quiet a few hours earlier, the deployment of the police has been considerably strengthened and explosions of tear gas canisters are heard. Young people mainly stand by the fires and this time they say they are angry like Abu: " We do not want Ghazouani to be elected. We are not happy with the results. We are against false information. He says that's what triggered that fire. Many of his friends and neighbors have the same words.
For Daoula, indeed, things must change otherwise the situation can really deteriorate: " We are dissatisfied. If it continues we will break everything . And Maguay warns: " That's nothing. This is only an ultimatum. But after the announcement of the results, we will show them what we can do. "
A warning that does not particularly worry Hacen. He, too, lives in Sebkhar, and as tension builds around him, he remains a philosopher. " Me, the victory or not of Ghazouani, in fact I do not think about it. He is Mauritanian, like me. So if he wins, he will have been lucky. "
On the same subject
Mauritania: opposition candidates reject Ghazouani's victory
Presidential elections in Mauritania: the camps are positioned before the results
Mauritania: Nouakchott, a busy day of voting
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