Bamako, Mali — As Malians turned out to vote for a new president in a relaxed Sunday atmosphere, their outgoing leader, Alpha Oumar Konare, expressed his "great satisfaction" with the democratic poll in the huge, predominantly Muslim nation.
After casting his ballot in Koulouba, at a hilltop polling station in the capital, Bamako, Konare -dressed casually in a maroon and cream African print shirt - told journalists, "this is a great day for our country and our people."
Sundays vote is the first multi-party election in Mali, where one democratically chosen president will hand over power to another duly-elected leader. "For the first time in Mali, we are witnessing the departure, though the ballot box, of an elected president. That shows the rule of democracy," added Konare.
Konare is stepping down after a decade in power, having served the maximum tw five-year terms allowed him by the constitution. His successor will be one of a record 24 candidates standing in the presidential elections.
Polling got off to a sluggish and rather confused and late start in parts of Bamako on Sunday morning, with delays reported for a range of reasons. Polling stations were due to open their doors at 08h00 and close at 18h00 local time (and GMT). By late afternoon, it was clear that some may have opened late.
At least one voting centre chairman had overslept and had to be hurriedly replaced. In other polling stations, ballot papers of certain candidates were missing or insufficient. Some places found that they had none of the material needed to start the vote promptly at 08h00, not even the basic glass and white wood ballot boxes.
Konare acknowledged that there were "difficulties" in organizing a presidential election on such a massive scale, with each voter having to pick up 24 separate ballot papers, bearing the image of each candidate, as well as an envelope for the ballot of their choice.
A leading Malian opposition candidate, Mountaga Tall, urged "vigilance", saying that there would certainly be imperfections in the ballot. Tall told the French news agency, AFP, he was concerned by reports of multiple proxy voting in Bamako.
Mayors are allowed to sign proxy votes permitting those who are unable to cast their ballot on polling day to get a close family member to vote for them.
After official reports of thousands of stolen voting cards, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced that it would post the numbers of the missing cards outside polling stations. Journalists saw no evidence of these notices on Sunday.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Fraudsters have been warned by the authorities that they will be "vigorously punished" if they are found cheating during the election.
By mid-afternoon, the pace of voting had picked up in Bamako, with proceedings generally calm, despite scattered reports of minor incidents at polling stations in the capital.
But the long, snaking lines of voters seen in so many other key elections around Africa - were missing in Mali. So too were reports of violence and intimidation.
The electorate seemed to have answered the call by Konare, and almost all the presidential candidates interviewed by journalists, for 'serenity, so that all Malians could exercise their rights as citizens and vote in a free and transparent poll.
Women, who had been noticeably absent from Bamakos polling stations in the morning, arrived in their numbers in the afternoon, bearing huge aluminium pans of food. These included great quantities of delectable 'riz au gras, a savoury rice, vegetable and meat dish, which was much appreciated by the consumers - voters, elections officials and security agents alike - creating a friendly and homely atmosphere. Other people took time out to spread out their mats, face east and say their prayers.
If no-one emerges as the outright winner with over 50 percent of the vote, Malians will have to wait until after the second round of the presidential election on 12 May, to find out whether the candidate they voted and prayed for will become their next president.
