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Voters in Central African Republic hoping for stability

Voters in Central African Republic hoping for stability

Cameroon Central African Republic ElectionsBANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) – Thousands in Central African Republic’s capital voted Wednesday in national elections with hope that a new president will lead to greater stability after years of violence.
Voters are choosing a president from a list of 30 candidates to replace transitional leader Catherine Samba-Panza, who was put in place in January 2014. More than 1.8 million people are expected to vote at more than 500 polling stations nationwide.
Central African Republic has been rocked by unrest since March 2013 when a largely Muslim alliance of rebel groups overthrew President Francois Bozize. The rebel leader left power in 2014 and a horrific backlash by the Christian anti-Balaka militia against Muslim civilians followed. Sectarian violence has continued, displacing nearly 1 million people.
That elections are being held at all and right on deadline is seen as a minor miracle. Still, there were a few problems, with some names of candidates for parliament reported missing from ballots. But, at least through mid-day, there were no reports of violence.
Samba-Panza voted at a school in the capital, Bangui, urging others to get to the polls.
“Many thought this day, this vote would not be possible for security and organizational reasons. But, you see, we all are voting in dignity and peace and I am proud,” she said.
Among the favored candidates are former prime ministers Martin Ziguele and Anicet Georges Dologuele, and Abdoul Karim Meckassoua, a former foreign minister under former President Bozize.
People of Central African Republic are also voting for a National Assembly. Worries about the vote materialized for Christian Guenebeme, who said he was a legislative candidate but couldn’t find his name on the ballots.
“I’m disappointed that neither my name nor my picture appear on the ballot for legislative candidates in two voting centers. We were right to say that the conditions were not yet ripe for organizing these elections,” he said.
Marcellin Daza, 42, said that people’s names are missing and there is disorder, but he wants change.
“We are discouraged, but we cannot give up the vote out of love for our country. It’s time for things to change,” Daza said.
Refugees also gathered in Cameroon’s border town Garoua Boulai Wednesday, where 12,000 have registered to vote, hoping for peace to return so they can go back home to Central African Republic.
U.N. peacekeepers, police, armed forces and gendarmerie have been deployed. Five people died in violence in a vote on a referendum on Dec. 13 that was seen as a test for these national elections.

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