Election official urges CAR population to attend runoff voting despite rebel threats

Banghui, Mar 14 (Agency) Citizens of the Central African Republic should participate in the voting of the second round of the country’s parliamentary elections despite alleged threats made by insurgents from the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), Mathias Barthelemy Morouba, the chairman of the National Elections Authority, told Sputnik on Sunday.

The polls for the runoff of elections opened on Sunday. Notably, those who were unable to vote during the first round, held on December 27 due to rebel violent attacks, will also be able to cast ballots this day. “I call on Central Africans to go massively to vote, because on May 2 the National Assembly [lower parliamentary house] must be renewed with lawmakers, who will be elected in these elections,” Morouba said. He added that even though candidates should remain cautious amid the political turmoil and rebel threats, the holding of the parliamentary elections was vital.

According to local authorities and media reports, CPC insurgents based in the Yalinga area in the country’s northeast allegedly threatened to amputate the hands and legs of those who would decide to vote on Sunday. The December 27 presidential and parliamentary vote was precluded by violence, initiated by CPC insurgents. The unrest claimed 14 lives and resulted in the siege of the capital city of Bangui. The post-electoral period was marked by the national security forces’ offensive in retaliation against the CPC on February 15. Faustin Archange Touadera won the presidential election in December.