Opposition call for annulment

Meanwhile, the opposition coalition Union des forces acquises a la paix (UFAP) on Sunday demanded that the election results be annulled and that a new vote be organised because of “serious irregularities and rigging”, news agencies reported. A UFAP statement cited ballot-box stuffing, insufficient ballots for opposition candidates and “hundreds of secret polling booths”, AFP reported. Defeated candidate Kolingba told Radio France Internationale (RFI) on Monday that the CAR people had been “robbed of their victory”.

However, Kolingba said he had called on his supporters to remain calm and not engage in popular resistance. “What is done is done?” Kolingba was quoted as saying. The elections were organised by the Commission electorale mixte et independante (CEMI), comprising government and opposition representatives. Electoral observers from the UN Mission in the CAR (MINURCA), the European Union and La Francophonie said after the voting that it had been free and fair, in spite of some minor problems.