Legislative in the Central African Republic: the government and the ANE are reassuring
Counting in the polling station located in the Boganda high school, in Bangui, the Central African capital, during the first round of legislative elections on Sunday, December 27, 2020. AP
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
118 constituencies are called to vote for the legislative elections this Sunday, March 14.
Second round for 49 constituencies, while 69 will vote again, because they were prevented or the vote canceled during the 1st round on December 27. Indeed, the armed groups which controlled two-thirds of the country had strongly disrupted the vote by intimidation, polling stations ransacked, ballots burnt.
This time the voters wonder: will the ballot be able to take place normally?
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The government says it is ready and confident.
The situation is totally different from the first round, assures the government spokesperson.
"
We have learned the lessons and strengthened the security plan
," says Ange Maxime Kazagui, with the establishment of priority security zones, a greater deployment of the Faca, the police and the gendarmerie.
And above all
a reconquest of the territory
.
“
The government went to take possession of several towns which were in the hands of armed groups and in which the vote could not take place.
I think there are at least ten.
This puts us in better conditions so that these elections take place in a reduced risk.
"
In recent weeks, the Central African Armed Forces supported by their Russian and Rwandan allies have deployed in a large part of the west of the country: Carnot, Bouar, Bozoum,
Bossangoa
, but also in the east Bambari, Bria
Zéphirin Kaya, communications officer for the National Election Observatory, is pleased to note this.
This will allow the deployment of observers outside the capital, he believes.
“
It's a step forward, because in the first round, many provincial towns were not covered by election observation.
Even the international observers remained in Bangui and the adjoining towns.
This time, with the conquest of these cities, we will be able to make an observation.
"
ONE observers will not be able to deploy everywhere, however.
Some areas are still under the control of armed groups.
Adjustments
For its part, the National Election Authority in charge of the organization of the poll claims to have made adjustments
to the dysfunctions observed
during the first round, in particular concerning the non-distribution of the minutes to political parties.
The many copies had to be filled by hand in the light of torches.
It is a technically resolved difficulty, assures Mathias Morouba the president of ANE, interviewed by our correspondent in Bangui,
Charlotte Cosset
.
“
We have improved the results processing documents.
For example, these documents are carbon results sheets.
The result that we are going to mention on the first sheet will stand out on the last sheet.
Today, we have made sure that all the candidates running can have the results sheet at all the polling stations at the end of the ballot.
"
Another problem raised by some observers.
During the first round, the number of votes surprisingly high by derogations.
The Constitutional Court had moreover annulled part of these votes in certain constituencies.
“
We have issued a circular to clarify the vote by exemption.
There has certainly been a lot of confusion here, at one point, over the use of the override voting record.
But today, things have been clarified.
"
The circular specifies that one must be a member of the security forces, delegate of candidates, officials or observers and be located in his constituency in order to be able to use the vote by exemption.
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Central African Republic