February 28, 2000
DAKAR, Senegal (PANA) - Observers said Monday they were impressed by the way voting took place during Sunday's Senegalese presidential election, whose results are now being awaited.
Among them is chairman of the study and research group on Democracy and Economic and Social Development in Africa, Safiko Ayo Alao, whose organisation had deployed at least 10 observers in different polling stations across the country.
As head of an organisation that had initiated the monitoring of elections in Africa by the continent's people themselves, he said he was "proud" the polls had gone on smoothly.
"Senegal has given us a unique case of a smooth-running election in Africa," he told PANA.
Other African countries should take the cue from the Senegalese, "which is cause for our organisation's pride," he said.
The organisation was created in 1990 and has its headquarters in Cotonou, Benin.
Sharing Alao's opinions is Roger Laloupo, observer from the Economic Community of West African States, who has been on similar missions in other African countries before.
He said gauging from his observations in polling stations in several cities, the poll went on "smoothly."
"I witnessed no case of fraud in the polling stations I visited. There was a demonstration of a civic sense, which translates into the Senegalese's political maturity. I am satisfied with the way voting proceeded," he declared.
He affirmed that all electoral equipment such as ballot boxes and ink was in place.
Voting, he added, took place in great calm because "everywhere I saw long queues without major problems and patient voters who turned out massively."
Counting of votes is, meanwhile, going on.
The top three, as provisional results are being released, are incumbent President Abdou Diouf, Abdoulaye Wade and Moustapha Niasse.
If the trend persists, a second ballot is imminent for the first time in Senegal.