President Postpones Central African Polls
The president of the Central African Republic scrapped plans Thursday for May 16 polls dogged by organisational problems, and immediately cast doubt on a planned June step-down.
President Francois Bozize, who seized power in a coup in 2003 before winning elections two years later, announced the postponement of next month's presidential and legislative polls after the elections commission warned it would be unable to organise them in time.
It was the second time this year that Bozize has been forced to postpone the polls in the cash-strapped country.
This time, however, he set no new date, warning that failure to hold elections soon would mean him remaining president beyond the formal end of his mandate on June 11.
"The elections will not be held on May 16. We will go to the polls when all the parties involved in these elections, including the international community, will be ready," said Bozize after a meeting with the electoral commission, diplomats, political parties, ex-rebels and civil society groups. "We will leave the rest to the national assembly, because it could be that June 11 will be overtaken," he added. AP