Former president of the Central African Republic, Francois Bozize has declared that he is “still in the national territory” and has not escaped to Cameroon.
According to a communiqué issued Tuesday evening by his party, the Kwa na Kwa, Bozize refuted allegations that he had escaped from the Central African Republic and is taking refuge in Cameroon after the routing of rebel groups supporting him in his attempts to disrupt the electoral process in the country that culminated in legislative and presidential elections Sunday December 27.
Bozize also in an audio message posted on social media on Tuesday declared his support for the rebel forces grouped under the Coalition of Patriots for Central Africa (CPC) that called for the boycott of the last Sunday elections.
The elections eventually held but in a very limited thrust of the national territory, given that rebel forces that called for the boycott control over two thirds of the Central African Republic and had done a good job intimidating the people and calling on them to remain at home and not go out to vote.
Voting took place especially in Bangui the national capital and Berberati where forces of the United Nations Multidimensional Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) supported by Russian and Rwandan mercenaries ensured the safety of the populations that went out to vote.
However, contrary to reports that the elections did not take place in several parts of the country, the Central African Republic Minister of Territorial Administration, Augustin Yangana Yahote in his first declaration after the elections said voting actually took place normally in 36 sub prefectures, partially in six others and no vote took place in 29 sub prefectures.
“This vote is thus a success within the very delicate security context,” according to the minister.
“With the crises still present in the Central African Republic, we could not expect a 100 per cent vote, but it remains true that voting took place in a majority of localities even if in certain areas there was some resistance. We think democracy took the upper hand.”
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) has however called on its member states to demonstrate their solidarity with the Central African Republic government of President Faustin Archange Touadera by sending troops to prop up the government.
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