Bakiyev ahead in Kyrgyzstan presidential poll (DPA)
10 July 2005
Bishkek/Moscow - Pre-election favourite Kurmanbek Bakiyev looked set to clinch victory in Sunday’s presidential election in the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan as exit polls suggest he has taken a clear majority of votes.
Initial projections say Bakiyev, who has served as acting leader of the country since the ouster of former president Askar Akayev, has won 85 per cent of the votes, in line with opinion polls conducted throughout the day indicating that between 70 and 90 per cent of voters were casting their ballot in favour of Bakiyev.
The firm pre-poll favourite of the six election candidates, Bakiyev has said fighting poverty and corruption will be his main priorities.
Bakiyev, 55, who gets his support from the chiefly Islamic southern region, is in alliance with former secret service chief Felix Kulov from the northern part of Kyrgyzstan. Kulov is expected to become head of government if Bakiyev becomes president.
Police were present in noticeably larger numbers in the capital and other regions in the run-up to the vote.
Polling stations closed at 9.00 p.m. local time (15.00 GMT). Elections officials said turnout among the 2.6 million registered voters had surpassed the necessary 50 per cent limit by early afternoon.
Both the United States and Russia have air bases in Kyrgyzstan, which borders China and is seen as a highly strategic location.
Some of the five other candidates in the presidential race have complained of “irregularities” in the poll. One such hopeful, artist Dzhypar Dzheksheyev, said voters in the capital Bishkek were being ferried to polling booths on buses.
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