The polls will now be held alongside the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December.

Authorities have attributed the postponement to ongoing logistical, technical, and financial difficulties that have hampered the organisation of the vote. Voters had originally been expected to go to the polls on June 3 to elect members of parliament, with local and municipal elections to follow at the end of August.

The delay has been strongly criticised by opposition groups. The Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution has renewed its calls for changes within the National Elections Authority, accusing it of lacking independence.

Commenting on the development, political analyst and journalist Fiacre De Salabé said the situation risks further undermining public trust in the electoral process.

“Many citizens are already frustrated by the repeated delays,” Salabé remarked. “There is a real danger that continued postponements will erode confidence in the authorities and lead to growing political tension. The opposition’s demands for greater transparency in the electoral system cannot be ignored.”

The local elections would have been the first of their kind in the country in several decades and were regarded as a key step towards strengthening democracy at community level.  

--ChannelAfrica--