The Constitutional Court finally endorsed the 30 candidates for the December 27 presidential election.
Since the Constitutional Court announced that list of 30 retained candidates to run for the presidency in the December 27, 2015 presidential election, there is certainly hustling and bustling in different party headquarters to finalise campaign strategies and maximize winning chances in the election that will end the transition process in the country.
While there is euphoria in party headquarters whose flag bearers have been retained for the twin presidential and legislative polls, there is general discontent within the parties of 14 aspirants whose nomination papers were rejected by the Constitutional Court in the December 8, 2015 decision. Former President François Bozize is one of the aspirants whose nomination papers were rejected and BBC quotes him as describing the decision barring him from running for the presidency as "shameful decision".
He reportedly accused the court of banning him because of foreign pressure. The Constitutional Court officials reportedly argue that Bozize’s candidature was rejected because of his inability to furnish documents that he registered for the elections. The Secretary General of Bozize’s Kwa Na Kwa (KNK) party, Bertin Béa while describing the decision to reject Bozize’s candidature as unjust, said the decision was the result of internal and external pressure. News agencies also reported barricades mounted and gunshots at some eight neighbourhoods of the capital, Bangui after the announcement of the list of retained candidates.
Campaigns for the December 27 polls have not been officially launched but some candidates even before their nomination papers were endorsed, had started combing the field to prepare for campaign grounds. This was the case of former Communication and National Reconciliation Minister Karim Meckassoua. Other prominent political figures who are retained candidates for the poll include former Prime Ministers Ziguelé and Anicet-Georges Dologuélé. The lone female candidate is Régina Konzi, whose is an English Language teacher and an independent candidate.
