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Central African Republic to go ahead with elections Sunday Central African Republic to go ahead with elections Sunday
(35 minutes later)
BANGUI, Central African Republic — Election officials in Central African Republic say the long awaited presidential runoff vote will go ahead Sunday. BANGUI, Central African Republic — Central African Republic’s long awaited presidential runoff vote will go forward Sunday alongside a second attempt at credible legislative elections, election authorities said as the two top candidates campaigned outside the capital Wednesday.
The announcement by the national election commission also said that a second attempt at holding credible legislative polls will take place the same day. The nation recovering from several years of intense communal violence between Muslims and Christians must now choose between two former prime ministers both Christians. The presidential runoff vote has been delayed several times already, raising concerns about whether Sunday’s polls would go forward.
Commission President Marie-Madéleine N’Kouet Hoornaert confirmed that the votes will be held as scheduled. Commission President Marie-Madéleine N’Kouet Hoornaert confirmed the voting will be held as scheduled.
The nation recovering from several years of intense communal violence between Muslims and Christians must now choose between two former prime ministers both Christians. The constitutional court annulled the results from the legislative elections held in late December, citing widespread irregularities, but the presidential results of the first round were validated.
The presidential runoff vote already has been delayed several times, raising concerns about whether Sunday’s polls would go forward. Already the first legislative elections were annulled by the constitutional court, which cited widespread irregularities. Voting materials are being distributed throughout the impoverished country where some roads have not been repaved since independence from France in 1960.
Nearly 1 million people have been displaced by the recent years of violence. More than 1,500 candidates are running for 140 seats in the National Assembly.
In the initial presidential race, former prime minister Anicet Georges Dologuele took about 24 percent of the vote, while another ex-prime minister, Faustin Archange Touadera, got 19 percent. Campaigning runs until midnight Friday.
Central African Republic has suffered through dictatorship and coups in recent decades. The president of a decade — who had come to power through a coup — was overthrown in March 2013, to be replaced by a Muslim rebel leader who was forced to step aside less than a year later. A transitional president has been in charge for the last two years and she is barred from running in the presidential vote.
Nearly 1 million people have been forced from their homes by the violence, some displaced within the country while others have fled to neighboring Cameroon and Chad.
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Associated Press writer Fleury Koursany contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.