Mali Election: Keita and Cisse face-off in second round

Voters in Mali are going to the polls today to elect a new leader in a second round of presidential elections Voters will choose between former Mali Prime Ibrahim Boubacar Keita who won the first round of Mali’s presidential election with 39.24% and Ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cissé who came second with 19.44%. Soumaila Cisse has been campaigning on the promise of education reform, an overhaul of the army and a plan to create 500,000 jobs. Whiles Front-runner Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, known universally by his initials IBK and seen as a front-runner pledges to restore Mali's battered dignity and has urged voters to give him a "clear and clean" majority in the run-off. The first round of voting was praised by observers for being peaceful and credible with France hailing the election a success and the European Union (EU) saying it had gone well marked by enthusiasm among voters. The election was contested by 27 candidates. Some 6.8 million people were eligible to vote at 21,000 polling stations across the country and recorded a 51.5% turnout. This elections process is meant to draw a line under a tumultuous 18 months that saw soldiers topple the president before separatist- and al Qaeda-linked rebels seized and occupied the north of the country. AEP Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on twitter @africanelections and like our facebook page