Burkina Faso votes in presidential polls despite looming threat of violence

Gulf Today Report 

Burkina Faso, amid surging violence in the country, went to the polls on Sunday to elect new president.

More than 2,000 lives have been lost to the violence and hundreds of villages won’t be able to vote. 

A woman casts her vote at a polling station. Reuters

Current President, Roch Kaboré is hoping for a second tenure after his five-year term. His campaign centres on free healthcare for children under the age of five and roads that snake across the country that he provided.

Violence by terrorists has skyrocketed in the West African country. Three weeks after he was inaugurated, the terrorist group attacked a hotel and a café in the capital, killing 32 people. Mineworkers were also ambushed in the east last year and 39 people got killed. 

People queue to cast their vote at a polling station. AFP

According to Maimouna Tapsoba, a secretary, “ we need someone who is going to bring peace to our country, the president needs a second mandate to end what has started.”

At least 400,000 people - nearly 7% of the electorate - will be unable to cast their votes, official data show.