C.Africa opposition coalition demands elections be scrapped

A powerful opposition coalition in Central African Republic on Wednesday called for the "cancellation, pure and simple" of the first round of elections last weekend that was troubled by armed groups.

In a statement, the Democratic Opposition Coalition (COD-2020), an alliance of political and other groups, said Sunday's elections "were not fair and inclusive and are in no way the expression of the people's will."

Condemning an "electoral farce", it claimed widespread ballot stuffing and complained of a lack of observers in remote areas.

The vote, for the presidency and legislature, has been seen as a key stability test for the CAR, one of the world's poorest and most volatile countries.

The landlocked nation has experienced a string of coups and wars since gaining independence from France in 1960.

In 2013, it spiralled once more into bloodshed when the then president, Francois Bozize, who had himself seized power a decade earlier, was overturned by a mostly Muslim coalition called the Seleka.

Militia groups that emerged from a bloody civil conflict today control two-thirds of the territory, hampering the organisation of the elections and intimidating voters, according to local leaders and UN workers who asked not to be named.

Thousands of people were prevented from voting or never received their voting cards because of the lack of security.

Of a total of 71 sub-prefectures, only 29 voted, the minister for territorial administration Augustin Yangana-Yahote told journalists Monday.

Six other sub-prefectures managed only a partial vote, Theophile Momokoama, the general rapporteur for the National Election Authority (ANE), told AFP.

Despite this, government spokesman Ange Maxime Kazagui said Tuesday that the elections were "credible, committed and popular".

"Certain people have been saying that these elections should not have taken place and that everything should be done to scare and discourage Central Africans," he said. "Despite that, Central Africans showed their firm will to go and vote, despite the dangers."

The frontrunner in the crowded field of candidates is President Faustin Archange Touadera, who was elected in 2016 after a turbulent transition period following the 2013 coup.