Voters in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar go to polls

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Highlights:

AFP / President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been in power since 1979, except for a five-year period

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Voters in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar go to polls

10:46 CAT | 20 Mar 2016

BBC / President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been in power since 1979, except for a five-year period

Elections have taken place in five African countries, while Senegal held a referendum on reducing presidential terms.

A presidential run-off went ahead in Niger even though the opposition candidate was in a French hospital.

Congo-Brazzaville has cut all telecommunications for two days to prevent “illegal publication of results” of its presidential election.

Elections were also held in Benin, Cape Verde and Zanzibar.

Congo-Brazzaville cuts phones

Congolese Interior Minister Raymond Mboulou ordered telephone operators to cut all communications – telephone, text messages and the internet.

Only a few official numbers were excluded from the ban.

The government also outlawed the use of motor vehicles nationwide during the vote, except for those with special permits.

The opposition has condemned the communications blackout, saying it will prevent election monitors from doing their job, and warned of rigging.

General Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko is seen as the strongest challenger to President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Mr Sassou Nguesso has been in power since 1979, except for a five-year period after losing elections in 1992.

The constitution was changed after an October referendum to remove term and age limits which would have prevented the 72-year-old from standing again.

Niger’s absent candidate

The opposition in Niger called for a boycott of the election, alleging fraud, and the BBC’s Ishaq Khalid said he had not seen many voters in the capital, Niamey.

President Muhamadou Issoufou is expected to win a second term in a contest also featuring former prime minister and parliamentary speaker Hama Amadou.

Mr Amadou was jailed in November on baby-trafficking charges, which he denies. He was flown to Paris last week for medical treatment.

His medical condition is unclear, but his health reportedly deteriorated in prison.

One of the world’s poorest countries, Niger faces a growing jihadist threat and was attacked by militants from al-Qaeda and Boko Haram on Thursday.

In February’s first round, Mr Issoufou got 48% of the vote while Mr Amadou came second with 17%.

Zanzibar boycott

Security was tight in Zanzibar after violent protests over recent elections.

The BBC’s Tulanana Bohela reported that there were not many voters in the polling stations she visited.

The opposition Civic United Front (CUF) had urged its supporters to boycott the poll.

October’s election was cancelled after CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad declared himself the winner before results were officially announced.

CUF says the annulment was because it had won, while the electoral commission said there had been widespread fraud.

With the CUF boycotting, President Ali Mohamed Shein of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, which is in power across Tanzania, looks set to be re-elected.

As the polls closed, election official Salum Kassim Ali said he had not “received any big complaints. The vote counting is under way and the results will be out as soon as possible, and within 72 hours”.

Senegal’s presidential term limits

The new constitution that was voted on in Senegal would cut presidential mandates from seven to five years and would not allow a president to run for more than two consecutive terms in office.

The BBC’s Maud Jullien in Dakar says it is an unusual move on a continent where many leaders are trying to extend their time in office as much as possible.

It may serve to boost Senegal’s image abroad as a strong democracy, but, locally, the referendum has prompted some criticism, she says.

President Macky Sall’s critics say he had promised to reduce his current term but is not doing so and the new constitution, if passed, would only affect future presidential terms.

Our reporter says the referendum has become a popularity test for the president rather than a debate on the issues at stake.

The new constitution proposes 14 other changes, including:

The opposition leader will have a status recognised by the constitution and will enjoy official benefits

Turnout for Sunday’s vote is reported to have been low.

Benin ‘a model for Africa’

Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou, a former investment banker, faced Patrice Talon, the “king of cotton” in a presidential run-off.

President Thomas Boni Yayi is standing down after serving two terms in office.

A tight race is expected after Mr Zinsou gained 28% in the first round, just ahead of Mr Talon’s 25%.

As he cast his vote, Mr Zinsou said the campaign had been “dignified, calm and peaceful. A model for Africa”.

He said he hoped the country would stay peaceful on the day of the vote and the coming days.

Mr Talon used to be a close ally of President Boni Yayi but was accused of masterminding a plot to poison him in 2012.

He fled to France but returned last year after receiving a presidential pardon.

Cape Verde’s legislative election

The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) and the Movement for Democracy (MFD) have dominated politics since independence from Portugal in 1975.

President Jorge Carlos Fonseca is from the MFD, while Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves is from PAICV.

Source: BBC