简体中文
The head of a 50-member electoral observation mission in Mali sent by the African union (AU) has called on Malians to turn out "massively" in Sunday's presidential run-off.
"Go to the ballot box, go there massively, because what will take place directly concerns their own future," Former Togo Prime Minister Edem Kodjo told Xinhua in an interview here on the eve of the historic vote.
The AU mission covers the south of Mali where about 90 percent of the nation's population of 15 million live.
Kodjo spelled out two "disastrous" scenarios for a low turnout - - a rainy day and voters' failure to go voting because they expect a candidate to win or lose with or without their votes.
"The last thing to do is to fail to go voting," he said. "Vote for the candidate of their choice. Do this in calm, with serenity, just like what they have done during the first round."
In the first round on July 28, the 68-year-old former prime minister and leader of the Rally for Mali (RPM) Ibrahim Boubacar Keita garnered 39.79 percent of votes, largely ahead of Soumaila Cisse, former finance minister and Keita's long-time rival who got 19.7 percent.
Kodjo said the 49 percent turn-out rate in the first round is "high" and "already excellent in Mali given the country's electoral tradition into consideration."
He also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the electoral process so far, saying "we have found nothing abnormal up till now." He urged Malian voters to cast their ballots with "the same order, same discipline and the same serenity."
On the second round, Kodjo said he has no worry. "I do not think the Constitutional Court has noted anything abnormal or irregular as enunciated by others. It means that the election has been rather properly organized and all that we have said remain valid."
"We exhort all the people to refrain from falling into the trap of searching for abnormality where there is none, and from throwing discredit to this election because there are some inconveniences noted here and there," he said.
Kodjo also urged the candidates to show responsibility and face each other "properly" during the vote and when the final results come out.
"It is very important. The aim of having an election is that the country goes better afterwards," he added.
Edem Kodjo
The head of a 50-member electoral observation mission in Mali sent by the African union
Former Togo Prime Minister
