President Roch Marc Christian Kabore will serve another five years as Burkina Faso’s president, according to provisional results announced by the National Independent Electoral Commission on Thursday.
He won with nearly 58% of the vote, beating 12 opponents and claiming victory in the first round, said Newton Ahmed Barry, the commission’s president. Kabore received 1.6 million votes of the nearly 3 million cast, with voter turnout at 50%, he said.
The opposition had hoped to split the vote and deprive Kabore of the 51% needed for an outright victory and then form a coalition behind the strongest candidate for round two. But leading candidate, Eddie Komboigo, head of the Congress for Democracy and Progress, received 15% and the other leading rival, Zephirin Diabre, from the Progress and Change Party, who lost to Kabore in 2015, received approximately 12%.
The declaration comes four days after Sunday’s election. The election commission president said final results should be out Saturday, which then must be verified by the constitutional court.
In an address to the nation after results were announced, an upbeat Kabore praised the democratic process, congratulated his opponents, and promised to secure and unite the country.
“It’s a significant responsibility to be the president of all Burkinabe, without exception,” he said.
The opposition has accused the ruling party of foul play, including bribing people. The process was “riddled with fraud” and the electoral commission was not up to the task of organizing responsible elections, Tahirou Barry, an opposition candidate, told a press conference.