This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/6394177.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Counting starts in Senegal vote | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Vote counting is under way in Senegal's presidential election, with early results expected from Monday. | |
| Some polling stations were allowed to stay open for an extra four hours after experiencing long queues or delays. | Some polling stations were allowed to stay open for an extra four hours after experiencing long queues or delays. |
| Incumbent Abdoulaye Wade is up against 14 rivals as he seeks a second term. He has come under pressure in recent months over high rural unemployment. | Incumbent Abdoulaye Wade is up against 14 rivals as he seeks a second term. He has come under pressure in recent months over high rural unemployment. |
| Mr Wade predicted a victory but it was thought unlikely that the first round would see an outright win. | |
| Other leading contenders are Moustapha Niasse and the youthful Idrissa Seck, who have both served as prime minister in Mr Wade's administration. | Other leading contenders are Moustapha Niasse and the youthful Idrissa Seck, who have both served as prime minister in Mr Wade's administration. |
| All the time they [the candidates] just talk politics, politics, politics. I don't think the politicians can end our problems - I don't believe in them Yayi Bayam Diouf, voter | All the time they [the candidates] just talk politics, politics, politics. I don't think the politicians can end our problems - I don't believe in them Yayi Bayam Diouf, voter |
| Ousmane Tanor Dieng, who served under the previous president, Abdou Diouf, is also seen as a strong contender. | Ousmane Tanor Dieng, who served under the previous president, Abdou Diouf, is also seen as a strong contender. |
| The BBC's Will Ross in Dakar says that although Mr Wade is seen by many as the favourite, there are several unknown factors. | The BBC's Will Ross in Dakar says that although Mr Wade is seen by many as the favourite, there are several unknown factors. |
| New system | New system |
| Senegal, a predominately Muslim nation, is seen as a rare model of stable democracy in Africa. It is the only West African nation not to have experienced a coup since independence, and polls in 2000 passed off peacefully. | Senegal, a predominately Muslim nation, is seen as a rare model of stable democracy in Africa. It is the only West African nation not to have experienced a coup since independence, and polls in 2000 passed off peacefully. |
| This time five million people were eligible to vote, using a new electronic voting system. | |
| Presidential contenders Q&A: Senegal polls | Presidential contenders Q&A: Senegal polls |
| The system should make the processing of results faster and easier, but our correspondent says there has been some concern over the accuracy of this new and as yet untested voting method. | The system should make the processing of results faster and easier, but our correspondent says there has been some concern over the accuracy of this new and as yet untested voting method. |
| Our correspondent says that after voting began at 0800GMT on Sunday, lengthy queues formed at more than 11,000 polling stations across the country, many of which are schools. | |
| Dakar voices | Dakar voices |
| Some voters said they would again be backing Mr Wade, pointing that he had started a number of large-scale projects to transform the country. | |
| "Before Wade we were under a socialist regime for 40 years," said Mamadou Fall, a tailor in Dakar. | |
| President Abdoulaye Wade is seeking a second term in office"But in the last seven years he has done a lot of building roads and bridges. We even have tunnels in Senegal," he added. | President Abdoulaye Wade is seeking a second term in office"But in the last seven years he has done a lot of building roads and bridges. We even have tunnels in Senegal," he added. |
| Others say the construction projects are doing nothing to address the real needs of the poor Senegalese. | Others say the construction projects are doing nothing to address the real needs of the poor Senegalese. |
| "Unfortunately President Wade started changing the rules of the game and didn't want a level playing field," says Jacques Habib Sy, who runs the organisation Aid Transparency. | "Unfortunately President Wade started changing the rules of the game and didn't want a level playing field," says Jacques Habib Sy, who runs the organisation Aid Transparency. |
| "He appointed four prime ministers in six years and got rid of all the people who supported him in 2000 and that sent out a very wrong signal," he said. | "He appointed four prime ministers in six years and got rid of all the people who supported him in 2000 and that sent out a very wrong signal," he said. |
| Clashes | Clashes |
| The number of voters has almost doubled since the last election and there have been no independent opinion polls. | The number of voters has almost doubled since the last election and there have been no independent opinion polls. |
| And with so many candidates, it may be extremely hard for any of them to get the 50% of votes needed to win outright in a first round, our correspondent says. | And with so many candidates, it may be extremely hard for any of them to get the 50% of votes needed to win outright in a first round, our correspondent says. |
| Do you live in Senegal? Did you vote in the elections? Who would you like to win the election? You can send us your comments with the form below: | |