First round of voting produces mixed results

Grand Comore President Abdou Elbak on Tuesday said he was dissatisfied with the results of the first round of legislative elections in Comoros held at the weekend. Five candidates in Grand Comore - the largest island in the archipelego - gained outright majorities in their constituencies, but no single candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote in the island's 15 other constituencies, forcing a second round of voting on 21 March. "I did not expect this result at all - we were hoping to get at 9 of 20 seats.

We are very surprised, but at least we have another opportunity later this month," he told IRIN. Of the five seats won outright, Elbak's Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress garnered three while the remaining two seats went to the ruling National Party for Development and a smaller political party. Elbak accused his chief rival, Union President Azali Assoumani, of vote-buying in the lead-up to the poll. However, in a statement released on Tuesday, African Union observers offered no evidence of the allegations.

Similar polls were also held on the other two islands, Anjouan and Moheli, whose parliaments have 25 and 10 seats respectively. In Anjouan, six candidates gained outright majorities, while two candidates in Moheli scooped more than 50 percent of the vote. A second round of voting will also take place in those islands next week. "Irrespective of the accusations, which are inevitable in any election, at least the process is underway. This is an important step forward for the country. It is not surprising that the first round produced this mixed result, since many people are uncertain if any of the candidates has the commitment to make a change in their lives," local political commentator Abdorahim Said Bacar said.

The polls were delayed for more than a year due to a controversy over constitutional powers and are the last step in uniting the islands in a federal system. Elections for the federal parliament are scheduled to take place on 18 April and 25 April.