Results due in landmark CAR vote

Large numbers of voters flocked to polling stations in the capital, Bangui, and in remote provinces.

Polling was extended in some places because organisational problems meant some stations opened a few hours late.

President Francois Bozize is seeking a democratic mandate after the 2003 coup which brought him to power.

The head of CAR's electoral commission described the vote as "positive".

"What is important is to have a democratically elected president who can run the country in transparency, restore peace and security and reunite people"
Desire Bango-Sambia
Voter

Police announced that 25 people were caught carrying more than 500 ballot papers, but they were arrested before they could use or distribute them.

Mr Bozize described the election as a "a novel event in the Central African Republic".

"A true democracy is being established. I've contributed a lot to this, and I can be proud," he said.

Mr Bozize, a former army general who seized power in a coup two years ago, is favourite to win the election.

He was condemned internationally when he ousted the unpopular Ange-Felix Patasse in 2003, but he has gradually gained approval at home.

The CAR has a chequered history of coups and army mutinies, as well as endemic corruption, and remains one of Africa's least developed nations, despite rich resources of diamonds, gold and uranium.

Male life expectancy is just 43 years.

'Patience and discipline'

There were some reports of clashes between supporters of Mr Bozize and his main challenger Andre Kolingba during the build-up to polling day.

But electoral commission chairman Jean Willybiro-Sako praised voters' "determination to accomplish their citizen's duty, showing patience and discipline in the waiting lines, often under a merciless sun".

The BBC's Arnaud Zajtman in Bangui says polling stations did close before everyone was able to cast their vote.

But the lack of electricity in this small land-locked country meant that there was no way for voting to continue after sunset.

As well as choosing from 11 presidential candidates, voters were asked to select a new 105-seat national assembly.

Preliminary results are due on Monday, but it may take more than a week to collate final results, our correspondent says.

If there is no clear winner in the first round of the presidential election, a second round of voting will be contested by the top two candidates.

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