Bozize locked out of Central African Republic presidential polls
Former president of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize waits, on April 14, 2015 in Nairobi, prior to sign a ceasefire deal with his predecessor. Protests erupted in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Tuesday after an announcement that Mr Bozize was barred from running for election. PHOTO | SIMON MAINA
What you need to know:
- Gunfire erupted in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui after an announcement that ex-president Francois Bozize was barred from running for December 27 elections.
- Bozize is the target of UN sanctions for supporting the Christian militias who have attacked members of the Muslim minority.
- A total of 30 candidates were cleared to run in the first round of the presidential vote by the transitional regime’s Constitutional Court, which rejected 15 applications, including Bozize’s.
- A leader of the mainly Christian militia known as the “anti-balaka”, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, was also barred from running for the country’s top job.
BANGUI, Wednesday
Gunfire erupted in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui, where protesters erected barricades after an announcement that ex-president Francois Bozize was barred from running for election.
A French Embassy text message sent to citizens said there were “barricades and gunfire” in several districts and advised French citizens “to avoid these areas”.
Calm returned to the capital after nightfall, security sources said on Tuesday.
“Gendarmes and police intervened with the support of Senegalese troops from (UN peacekeeping force) Minusca. They were able to raise the barricades and re-establish order,” said a Minusca source.
The unrest followed the Constitutional Court’s rejection of the exiled Bozize’s bid to run for president in December 27 elections.
Bozize, 69, who is now living in exile in an undisclosed African location, is the target of UN sanctions for supporting the Christian militias who have attacked members of the Muslim minority in tit-for-tat fighting that has devastated one of Africa’s poorest and most unstable nations.
Hopes are high that the presidential and parliamentary polls will signal CAR’s return to normalcy after two years of sectarian violence between Christian and Muslims.
30 CANDIDATES CLEARED
The fighting began after Bozize was overthrown in March 2013 by a mainly Muslim rebel alliance.
A total of 30 candidates were cleared to run in the first round of the presidential vote by the transitional regime’s Constitutional Court, which rejected 15 applications, including Bozize’s.
A leader of the mainly Christian militia known as the “anti-balaka”, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, was also barred from running for the country’s top job.
Almost two million people have registered to vote for a new head of state and 141 parliamentarians. Failing an outright win, a second round is scheduled for January 16.
The city centre remained calm on Tuesday with the unrest mainly in outlying areas.
