Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, who is seeking a second term, was ahead of his opponents on Wednesday, according toj the partial results of the November 22 presidential election announced by the National Independent Electoral Commission (Céni).
According to the provisional results from 196 communes (out of 368) by the Céni, Mr. Kaboré received 58.14% of the vote, against 14.25% for the leader of the opposition, Zephirin Diabré and 13.62% for Eddie Komboïgo, the president of the former ruling party.
The Céni has one week to announce the results.
Aiming, as in 2015, for a victory in the first round of this election considered to be the most open in the history of Burkina Faso, a West African country that has experienced multiple coups d’état since its independence.
A victory in the first round would enable it to avoid a second round against a candidate supported by the entire opposition.
The presidential and legislative elections took place on Sunday under high security tension, with Burkina Faso experiencing its darkest hours since independence, undermined by attacks by jihadist groups that have killed at least 1,200 people in five years.
