Presidential election in Mali: a calm vote despite some incidents

This Sunday is a voting day in Mali with the first round of the presidential election. Nearly 8.5 million Malians are going to the polls to decide the 24 candidates. The 23,000 polling stations spread throughout the country opened at 8 am (Bamako time), they will close at 18 hours.

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Information given in universal time (UT),

1:15 pm: In Gao, the vote is being held for the time being safe from where the Third Deputy Mayor Seima Issa Maiga's enthusiasm: " Since this morning, I have traveled almost every polling place and everything is going very well. There is no problem, there is no problem. Voters are very mobilized. They are in the streets, on the axes. Vehicles, motorcycles bring them and bring them back. People render services so that citizens can really fulfill their civic duty . "

13h00: Cécile Kyenge, the head of the European Union observation mission, delivered a few minutes ago a first report. As a reminder, the European Union has a hundred observers deployed throughout the country. This first report concerns 44 polling stations, from North to South, 70% of them opened their doors on time. The remaining 30% showed a minor delay, mainly related to material problems. Finally, at this time, the observation mission has still not received from the government the list of municipalities where the vote can not be held. It was a request from the opposition candidates. " We are in contact with the government and we remain attentive " concluded Cécile Kyenge.

12:50: The Malian diaspora also votes this Sunday. In France, but also in Spain and Indonesia. Similarly in Mauritania, where polling stations opened in the Mbera refugee camp in particular

12:40: Assessment of this voting morning in Bamako

12h30: In the North, in the region of Timbuktu, we do not vote in Lafia today following the incidents last night. Individuals shot in the air, stormed the town hall and burned the urns there. But with the exception of these incidents in rural communes, in the big cities of North Timbuktu, Kidal, Menako, and Gao, the vote seems to be running smoothly, just as in the chief towns of the center of the country.

: Some incidents in the Mopti region, in the center of the country, an area where armed groups proliferate. In Gandiama, 45 kilometers from Douentza, armed elements attacked election officials early this morning. And the vote did not take place, says the governor. In Fatoma, still in the region of Mopti, this night of the electoral material burned. But he was quickly replaced, the governor continues, and polling stations opened them this morning. Finally in Manako Kounari, an office president was assaulted and injured. The police are there

12:10: " Almost 70% of the 44 polling stations observed by EU observers opened on time. The opening phase is taking place in a calm atmosphere. We are aware that there have been some incidents in the north and center "said Cécile Kyenge, the head of the EU mission in a first statement.

12:00: The president of the Ceni, Amadou Ba also voted. Just like the Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga

11h45: Like Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, several candidates have already voted for this first round. Among them, Soumaïla Cissé, Djénéba Ndiaye, the only woman in the running, but also Modibo Koné, Moussa Sinko Coulibaly, Aliou Boubacar Diallo and Sheik Modibo Diarra

11:30: Everything is calm in Bamako. Some polling stations showed a small delay at the opening, between half an hour and one hour, notably in commune VI. But overall, everything is happening normally this morning in the capital. The affluence is still modest in polling stations. There are no long queues of impatient voters, but it must be said that part of the night was marked by heavy rains here in Bamako until this morning, which still slows things down a bit. [19659006] 11:10: The vote is calm in Niafunké, in the region of Timbuktu. In two polling stations visited, the election materials are on the spot, the electoral agents also. The affluence is rather average. Some locals prefer to eat sheep's heads, it is very popular before going to fulfill their civic duty. " Me, I'll vote earlier, that's for sure ," says a student, for example. A girl crossing the street, voting for the first time, explains that she is very happy to fulfill her civic duty.

11h00: In Nyafunké circle, near Djenké, in Lafia, Urns were burned in two villages on Saturday night. The election officers turned around and the voting operations did not take place in the thirty or so offices. An officer was reportedly wounded

10:45: Average attendance at Niafunké polling stations. A city in the North between Timbuktu and the Malian border

10h25: The polling stations also opened in France. In Aubervilliers, near Paris, images broadcast on social networks show a queue extending over several hundred meters. And in Bagnolet, there are many people, according to our journalist on site. Officials say they have never seen this. Only incident to note, people are not presented to the wrong polling station because some places have changed at the last moment.

10h: These first two hours of voting are marked by an average affluence in the polling station of Commune III of Bamako where our special envoy is. Voters present were able to deliver their expectations and hopes for this first round of the presidential election.

9h40: The incumbent Malian president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, candidate for his re-election, voted a few minutes ago in a polling station in Bamako.

9h30: Our reporter present in the polling stations of the hippodrome district in Bamako reports that international and national observers are good and very present to ensure the smooth running of this event. first round. These observers, who distinguish themselves with caps, T-shirts or badges, are numerous to be present in the courtyard of the building, passing from polling station to polling station. They are about 6,000 throughout the country, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

9:10: Security around the polls is one of the major issues of this presidential election. 25,000 members of the Security Forces are mobilized to protect the 23,000 polling stations in the country. For more information, read our article on the subject: Presidential elections in Mali: security is one of the issues at stake.

9h: In the cities of Timbuktu, Gao and Menaka, polling stations also opened normally and calm this morning. No incident is to be deplored in the early morning according to several official and civil society sources joined by RFI.

8:45: In commune III in Bamako where is another of our reporters, the office voting opened at 8am stack. People had already gathered before the polling station courtyard, so much so that the security forces had to get everyone out to check them.

The atmosphere is rather enthusiastic. " We must vote, it is our right and our duty confided a moment ago to the micro-hour a retired teacher. Despite doubts about the participation in the poll for part of the country for security reasons, despite questions about the validity of the electoral register, here everyone wants to believe it.

8h25: Our correspondent in Bamako, went to the district of the racecourse. At 8:00, the 43 polling stations in the neighborhood were not yet open. The rain that has been falling intermittently since this morning on Bamako may have discouraged or delayed some. Polling station members, accessors or representatives of the majority or the opposition are still absent at the opening. Others in polling stations are not ready yet.

Now the first voters have entered the court, voter card in hand. The first queues are formed gradually. This voting center in the racetrack district is expecting more than 21,000 voters. At the entrance, these voters are controlled by the security forces, about ten in this polling center. 25,000 are distributed throughout the country

8am: Official opening of polling stations throughout Mali. 24 candidates are in the running for the first round of this presidential election. One woman and 23 men, including outgoing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta

Electoral Background: A woman and 23 men are vying for the first round of presidential elections in Mali. Before knowing the candidate or candidates who will lead in the lead by tonight, the first point that will be scrutinized is the mobilization.

Will the participation rate be greater than in 2013 when he had reached 45%? This is the first unknown of this election. The second unknown is the security risk. The vote is under surveillance with more than 30,000 men deployed throughout the country to secure offices. This security issue is the major challenge of this day, as the jihadist threat to the country is strong.

A vote under the watchful eye of the international community. Several missions deployed their observers such as the European Union, the African Union, ECOWAS and the International Organization of La Francophonie. But none of these missions covers the entire territory for security reasons. Only COCEM, a grouping of five associations of Malian civil society, will be present everywhere in Mali thanks to its thousand observers.