5.5mln Burkinabe to cast ballots in municipal election

The campaign for municipal election ended at midnight on Friday and paved the way for over 5 million voters to cast their votes on Sunday to elect 351 councilors in Burkina Faso.

About 5.5 million voters will choose among a total of 156,693 contestants from 72 political parties, a political group and groupings of independent candidates who are in competition.

They are expected to cast their votes in 17,938 polling stations across the West African country.

The 156,693 candidates are in competition for 19,624 seats which are in stake in 9,299 constituencies across Burkina Faso.

The municipal elections will enable the country to complete the ongoing change process after November 2015 presidential election that put an end to one year transition.

This follows the fall of ex-president Blaise Compaore's 27 year regime during popular insurrection in October 2014.

The campaign that started on May 7 and ended on May 20 has experienced some acts of violence.

Demonstrators on May 12 damaged the local independent electoral commission (CECI) at Beguedo in Boulgou province, while unidentified persons set fire to that of Bouroum Bouroum on May 17.

According election body and security sources, 81 risk areas have been identified in the country and a total of 24,000 security forces have been mobilized to ensure the smooth conduct of the process.

Source: XINHUA