 "Roch Marc Christian Kabore elected president of Burkina Faso")
Roch Marc Christian Kabore won Burkina Faso's presidential election, official results showed, after a year of turmoil that saw the west African country's former leader deposed and the military try to seize power in a coup.
Kabore, who governed under former strongman Blaise Compaore before turning his back on the old regime, won the vote in the first round with 53.49% of ballots, the electoral commission said late yesterday.
"We must get to work immediately. Together we must serve the country," he told a crowd of several thousand supporters outside his party headquarters, pledging his "determination to open up the opportunities for a better tomorrow".
Kabore's main rival Zephirin Diabre, who took 21.65% of votes, congratulated the former premier just before the results were released, according to a journalist at the scene.
Kabore, who governed under former strongman Blaise Compaore before turning his back on the old regime, won the vote in the first round with 53.49% of ballots, the electoral commission said late yesterday.
"We must get to work immediately. Together we must serve the country," he told a crowd of several thousand supporters outside his party headquarters, pledging his "determination to open up the opportunities for a better tomorrow".
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The new president also expressed his "warm congratulations" to the election authorities that organised the poll, the first time in almost three decades Burkina has voted in a new leader after Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year.
Kabore's main rival Zephirin Diabre, who took 21.65% of votes, congratulated the former premier just before the results were released, according to a journalist at the scene.