Tension is rising in the Central African Republic over last Sunday's elections, with three of the five candidates who stood for president calling for the polls to be annulled, reports Radio France Internationale.
Jean-Jacques Demafouth, Emile Nakombo and Martin Ziguélé called a press conference after the voting, where they said the exercise was marred by irregularities. They accused the incumbent, President François Bozizé, of an electoral "hold-up", an accusation the ruling party immediately condemned.
The three candidates distributed a four-page document at the press conference, outlining the irregularities and fraud they said were witnessed on election day. The three have formed a coalition and plan to challenge the election in the Constitutional Court, and to take to the streets with sit-ins and protest marches if their demands are not met.
For its part, the ruling party called a press conference at which it described the declarations by the opposition parties as dangerous. The ruling party secretary-general, Elie Oueifio, called on opponents to channel their grievances through institutions charged with election matters.
Pierre Buyoya, the former Burundi president who observed the election for the Francophonie group of nations, said polling was dysfunctional and characterized by difficulties. The group's monitors listed as problems defective electoral lists, irregularities in the establishment and delivery of voting cards, a lack of understanding of the rules and procedures by polling officials and the presence of government officials at polling stations.
Francophonie is, however, is calling on aggrieved parties to follow the legal route in lodging their complaints. The provisional result must be published by the election commission by Saturday January 28.
In 1998, disputed elections were the direct cause of violence in the Central African Republic. Instability continued until the 2008 dialogue which paved the way for Sunday's vote.
Translated and excerpted from the original by Michael Tantoh: Des candidats de l'opposition réclament l'annulation du scrutin.
