Electoral process ends with local poll

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

BUJUMBURA-- Burundi's electoral process for 2005 ended on Friday with elections for local heads of villages.

The country's electoral calendar began in February with a referendum on the post-transition constitution during which an overwhelming majority voted for the draft document.

The head of the National Electoral Commission, Paul Ngarambe, said voters went to polling stations countrywide on Friday to elect 14,560 local leaders out of 44,724 candidates who were all contesting as independent candidates.

The voting marked the first village-level elections in the country's history. Previously, local administrators appointed such leaders.

However, contrary to past elections in 2005, voters did not show much interest in the poll. In many polling stations, voters started casting their ballots at 0700. although the polls started at 0600.