The Independent Electoral Commission (Ceni) has been announcing the results of the 1.8 million voters who chose their deputies, mayors, and regional councilors on Saturday, May 13th in dribs and drabs since Sunday, May 14th.
This triple ballot is crucial for the ruling El Insaf party of President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el-Ghazouani, which faces judgment at the polls for the first time since its election in 2019. El Insaf’s first competitor is the Islamist party Tawassoul , which wants to confirm its status as the leading opposition force. Anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who came second in the presidential election, has joined the Sawab party which hopes to benefit from his popularity.
After the multiple dysfunctions observed during the ballot on Saturday and denounced by many parties, including the ruling party, the Ceni knows it is expected on the announcement of the results. Since yesterday morning, its members have been taking turns on television, and showing the moughataa scores live by moughataa, the name given to Mauritanian constituencies.
A desire for transparency
Its spokesperson, Mohamed Taghioullah Led’hem, regularly indicates the level of evolution of the counts throughout the territory. And sends the populations to the myceni.com site, which compiles the results in real-time. All this for the purpose of transparency, assures the spokesperson, who issued a press release in the evening, recalling the importance of waiting for the end of the count, in accordance with the law; even if candidates still claimed their victory in certain municipalities, sometimes causing horns and whistles in the streets during the evening.
The Ceni wants to show that it is working to carry out its mission, especially since the political leaders and the Head of State Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani all welcomed the serenity of the ballot.