Voting on a referendum on a new constitution has begun in the Central African Republic amid calls from some opposition parties and rebel groups to boycott it, local media have reported.
According to reports, polling stations have been opened all over the country, including cities and towns that had been in the hands of rebel groups for a long time, but have been returned to the control of the central authorities over the past three years.
"After the authorities defeated the rebels, it's time to adopt a new constitution," said Fidel Guanjica, special adviser to the President of the CAR with the rank of minister.
In turn, the leader of the opposition Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People, Martin Ziguele, spoke out against the draft of the new constitution.
"We are dealing with a constitutional coup, the purpose of which is to ensure that the head of state is in power for life," said one of the opposition leaders.
One of the main provisions of the proposed new constitution is the extension of the term of office of the head of state from the current five years to seven, with a removal of restrictions on the number of elections.
The current constitution limits the head of state to two terms.
CAR’s current president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, has already been elected to the post of head of state twice – in February 2016 and December 2020.
In addition, the draft constitution prohibits dual citizenship for presidential candidates, and also provides for the reform of the Constitutional Court, increasing the number of judges appointed by the authorities.
A Chamber of Traditional Leaders is also being created, which will monitor the preservation of the customs of the peoples of the CAR within the country's society.
The National Election Commission is obliged to publish the preliminary results of the vote within the next eight days.
As for the final results, the Constitutional Court is to announce them on August 27.