Mali election: Voters go to polls amid security concerns

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02:06

Amid security concerns, Mali's second presidential election since a coup in 2012 is hoping to end years of instability in the country.

The presidential election has been described as a high-stakes one in which incumbent Boubacar Keita is hoping to get a second term. Despite security concerns in the country, the electoral commission is promising a smooth vote – security has been tight across the country for this vote, with 30,000 security personnel deployed.

“I know people are saying Kidal and Timbukutu are insecure but the information I have is that voting is going on smoothly,” said election observer Jean Marie Ngondjibangte. “There have been no incidents reported so far in those regions.”

Malians wait to cast their ballot during the presidential elections in Bamako, Mali, July 29, 2018. /AP Photo‍

The turnout rate is typically below 50 percent in Mali. But as the day wore on, queues lengthened in Bamako.

Many voters said that their votes were important for the future of Mali.

They also hailed the process as smooth and well organized. As one voter commented, this had been the most organized election he had witnessed in Mali.

Regardless, there were some issues with tracking down voter cards in some polling stations.

"I came to vote and I was hoping I would get my voter card in the room where I’m supposed to vote but I was told to come here instead to collect. I wish they could distribute the voter cards to the various rooms where people are voting because they have lists of our names and where we are supposed to vote. I hope in the future they will be better organized,” said one voter.

The first election results are expected by Tuesday. If no outright winner emerges, the country will go to a second round of voting in August.

The latest news has it that attacks by gunmen or other violence disrupted around a fifth of Mali's polling stations during Sunday's presidential election, with about three percent of those stations unable to function at all, the Ministry of Territorial Administration said on Monday.

Of the roughly 23,000 polling stations open, 4,632 were disrupted by "armed attacks or other violence," and 644 were unable to operate, ministry figures showed.

(With input from Reuters)