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Monday, March 21, 2016
Africa played host to number of elections and polls on March 20, with the day being deemed Africa’s ‘Super Sunday’. Benin, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo (ROC), Niger, Senegal, and Zanzibar all hosted elections. In Benin the polls were for the presidential run-off pitting Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou, and businessman Patrice Talon. In the first round of the election, held earlier in March, Zinsou won 28.4% of the vote and Talon won 24.8%.
Niger also had a run-off for president, its first ever, with President Mahamadou Issoufou looking at his second term in office. The election has Issoufou running against jailed opposition leader Hama Amadou. Amadou has been forced to campaign from behind bars after being detained on November 14 on baby-trafficking charges he says are bogus and aimed at keeping him out of the race.
The poll in the ROC is a first-round presidential election that has President Denis Sassou-Nguesso looking to add to his 32 years in office. He faces eight opponents, including retired General Jean-Marie Mokoko, seen as the strongest challenger. The ROC election is unique in that there is a black out on phone, internet, and a ban on driving in the country during the elections for what the government said is “security reasons and peace and tranquility.” The elections did not see tranquility as police fired tear gas at opposition supporters after voting ended.
Cape Verde is holding parliamentary elections and Senegal is voting on a referendum of the constitution.
The Zanzibar elections are a re-run of elections held in October but determined null and void by the electoral commission due to irregularities. The elections are for Zanzibar’s parliament and president. The candidates for president are Ali Mohammed Shein, Seif Sharif Hamad, Hamad Rashid Mohamed, and Ambar Khamis Haji.
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