Central African Republic Votes Amid Tight Security After December Violence

ALMOST all polling stations in Central African Republic were able to open for a second round of parliamentary elections on Sunday, the electoral body said, amid heavy security to deter rebels who disrupted polls in December.

In Zado, a hillside village outside the capital Bangui, many residents had only recently returned to their homes after they fled fighting in January when the insurgents tried to seize power after the contested presidential election.

Local polling station director Emmanuel Maskemde said only 50 of 300 registered voters had so far turned up to cast their ballots.

“They have a lot to think about. Morale could be low,” he said.

In Bangui, small lines of residents could be seen waiting to vote as large numbers of police and gendarmes stood by.

National Elections Authority spokesman Théophile Momokoama said that only three or four polling stations across the country had not been able to