– Technical glitches –
Despite the presence of 11,000 UN and French peacekeepers, large chunks of the country remain out of bounds, either under the control of rebel chieftains or bandits.
At least 1,800 candidates are running for a place in the 105-seat National Assembly, but by the weekend, the National Elections Authority (ANE) had not cleared a valid final roster for the parliamentary polls.
Two of the three men leading the presidential race were prime ministers under late president Ange-Felix Patasse: Anicet Georges Dologuele and Martin Ziguele, who are both Christian.
The third, Abdoul Karim Meckassoua, is a Muslim. He served Bozize from 2003-13 in successive posts, including as foreign minister.
Up to the end of campaigning late Monday, candidates were handing out cash and T-shirts in Bangui and in remote provinces for those who could afford to use aircraft instead of navigating gutted roads.
The three previous presidents are barred from standing again: former Bangui mayor Catherine Samba Panza, who has overseen a political transition, as well as Bozize and Djotodia.
Bozize and Djotodia are both in exile and both face UN and US sanctions linked to the recent violence.
The Central African Republic’s own security forces – the army, the police and the paramilitary gendarmerie – have begun to patrol areas where tension remains high between ex-Seleka and anti-balaka elements.
National troops have also been deployed in the troubled PK-5 Muslim enclave in Bangui, where ex-Seleka hardliners killed five people for wanting to vote on referendum day.
About The Author
