News
Mali Presidential elections 2013: Initial results expected Tuesday
The first official results from Mali’s elections were expected Tuesday after a strong turnout Sunday for a vote that was the first since a military coup in March 2012 that has left the country leaderless and racked by violence for more than a year.
Full provisional results are not expected until Friday, the country’s director-general for territorial administration told state television late on Monday.
Former Malian prime minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s campaign team said on Monday its results put Keita in a strong lead and in reach of outright victory in Mali’s elections, but rivals said they were sure a run-off vote would have to be held.
A run-off would take place on August 11 if no candidate secures over 50 percent of the vote.
The statements came ahead of official tallies from Sunday’s vote. A robust turnout showed how eager Malians were to turn the page on more than a year of turmoil, war and an army coup.
“We have information coming from our own teams … that show we are well ahead and a first round victory is in reach,” said Mahamadou Camara, a spokesman for Keita, who is universally known by his initials, IBK.
Keita’s rivals, who include ex-finance minister Soumaila Cisse, Modibo Sidibe, a former prime minister, and Dramane Dembele, the candidate of Mali’s biggest party, said they were sure a second round would be needed.
