Polls open in Cape Verde's presidential election

Cape Verdeans are voting on Sunday to elect a president among three candidates including the incumbent President Jorge Carlos Fonseca who is considered the favourite.

The polls opened at 08:00 local time (09:00 GMT) for the 314,000 residents of the archipelago and 47,000 abroad who are registered to vote.

66-year-old Jorge Carlos Fonseca is eyeing a second term in office as he faces two independent candidates, 76-year-old Joaquim Monteiro and 56-year-old Albertino Graça.

Fonseca who is running on the ticket of the governing Movement for Democracy party is tipped to secure 70% of the votes as the main opposition party, African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) failed to pitch a candidate.

The PAICV lost out in the parliamentary election and subsequently in the municipal election in September.

There will be a second round vote if none of the candidates obtains an absolute majority.

29 observers from the African Union (AU) and others from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are observing the election.

The polls are scheduled to close at 19:00 local time (20:00 GMT).