Catherine Samba-Panza, elected interim President of the Central African Republic

Central African Republic interim President.,Catherine Samba-Panza. PHOTO/File

The transitional parliament in the Central African Republic has elected the mayor of the capital, Bangui, Catherine Samba-Panza, as interim president on Monday, tasked with ending months of religious sectarian conflict and guiding the country to elections slated for later this year.

Samba-Panza, who defeated 7 other candidates, succeeds Michel Djotodia, the leader of the Islamist Seleka rebels who seized power in March. Djotodia stepped down on January 10 under intense regional pressure after failing to halt inter-religious violence which has displaced more than 1 million people.

Samba-Panza was elected in a second-round runoff by 75 votes to 53 for her rival Desire Kolingba, the son of former president Andre Kolingba.

Many now hope that the election of a new interim president with no links to either camp will help to bring calm to the nation of 4.6 million people.

A spokesman for a major group of Christian militia fighters, which had earlier threatened protests against the vote, said they were happy with Samba-Panza’s election. He welcomed the fact that a woman had been elected to the presidency for the first time.

There are 4,400 African Union peacekeeping troops under a U.N. mandate to halt sectarian violence and stabilize the country.