In Cape Verde, the Electoral Commission draws satisfactory results from the presidential campaign
Audio 01:25
Praia (Cape Verde).
View of a market on the plateau district from Avenida de Lisboa, in 2012. © Ji-Elle / Wikimedia
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
From midnight Saturday, October 16 (1 a.m. UT), no more meetings or political statements before the presidential election on Sunday, October 17.
Seven candidates are in the running to succeed President Jorge Carlos Fonseca, who is completing two consecutive terms.
Although the head of state has limited powers in the archipelago, the campaign has generated enthusiasm.
Advertising
Read more
With our special correspondent in Praia,
Charlotte Idrac
"
A success
".
This is how the National Election Commission describes this campaign phase.
According to its president Maria Gonçalves, the candidates benefited from the same airtime in the media and everything is ready for a good conduct of the vote this Sunday in the nine inhabited islands of the archipelago.
“
It went well from our point of view,
” she explains, “
because the seven candidates had the opportunity to communicate with the voters, several had the opportunity to go to all the islands.
Its very important for us.
"
►
To read also:
Cape Verde: the expectations of the population before the presidential election of October 17
The issue of abstention
The commission however received complaints, but not enough to call into question the process, according to its president: “
We had some problems, we have candidates who did not agree with the graphic propaganda of the other candidates.
We also had complaints about the government's participation in the campaign.
But all complaints have been resolved by the National Election Commission and we are very optimistic.
"
Nearly 400,000 voters are called to the polls on Sunday, with 51% women and 49% men.
One of the challenges will be the turnout: during the last presidential election in 2016, the abstention rate reached 64.5%.
►
To read
also:
Presidential election in Cape Verde: an archipelago that is a model of democracy
■
Cape Verdeans are in favor of vaccination
As during the legislative elections in April, the health crisis and its economic consequences were at the heart of the debates.
But the archipelago has a high vaccination rate compared to the continent's average: according to the Ministry of Health, 79% of the population has received a dose, and more than 45% is fully vaccinated.
Under a tent set up in the center of the capital, Claudia, 29, grimaces.
The young woman receives a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but she is not there cheerfully.
“
Yes, it hurts
,” she said, “
but I have no choice.
It's for my job, otherwise I couldn't work.
"
Vaccination is not mandatory, but widely recommended by companies, which may request regular PCR testing, which is expensive.
Like that of Ailton Mendès, 37 years old.
He shows his completed card: “
The campaign must do more because there are a lot of young people who do not yet believe in vaccination, but it is well organized.
"
"
The population has accepted the vaccination
"
The World Health Organization had set the goal of vaccinating 10% of the population of each country by the end of September. Mission largely accomplished for Cape Verde. “
At the beginning of March, there was a certain reluctance. But with good communication, an awareness campaign, the population accepted the vaccination. The Cape Verdeans are very disciplined, they come to the appointments for the second dose. Suddenly, we reinforced the objective
:
we want 80% of the population fully vaccinated by the end of December,
”says Dr. Ullardina Furtado, delegate of the Ministry of Health in Praia.
The legislative elections in April had not been followed by a spike in new cases.
But the health authorities insist on respecting the barrier gestures for Sunday's vote.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Green cap