CAR Election: Heading for a run-off

Central African Republic’s presidential election is headed for a runoff vote as results shows no clear victory between the candidates.

CAR’s National Election Authority Officials announced that no candidate received more than 50 percent of the votes in the first round of election held late last month.

Officals said from the ballots counted so far, Former Prime Minister, Anicet- Georges Dologuele got 259,327 votes while former premier Faustin- Archange Touadera secured about 228,453.

Media reports indicate that there is no doubt that the two candidates will go for a run-off. Adding that 77 percent of the votes have already been counted.

A spokes person with the National Electoral Agency on wednesday said, a run off would be held on January 31st as no candidate was able to secure a major lead.

Meanwhile, CARs interim government rejected a request from 15 other candidates calling for the suspension of the votes from the December 30 elections. The government official said the claims were baseless and insignificant.

The candidates said they may go to the constitutional court to demand an annulment of the vote if a political solution isn’t found.

Central African Republic is holding the election to replace a transitional government that came to power in 2014 after a rebel leader stepped aside less than a year after his forces overthrew the government.

Sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims in the past years have caused nearly 1 million people to flee their homes, and there have been fears that violence could intensify during the election period.