Madagascans waited impatiently today for election results which were beginning to trickle in a day after the island's first post-coup presidential polls to restore democracy.
By early afternoon, only 431 out of 20,001 polling stations had reported results following yesterday's vote to choose a successor to Andry Rajoelina's transitional presidency after he seized power in 2009.
The results reported represented under two per cent of the country's 7.8 million registered voters, and as the delays dragged on, residents began voicing concerns over vote-rigging.
"It is worrying, this slowness," said Mialy Rakatoarizafy, a jeweller in the capital Antananarivo.
"People are eager to know! The more time they take, the greater the risk of fraud. I'm a bit afraid," she said.
Speedy result publication would restore confidence between candidates, said Emile Rarivo.
"If you look at the technology that exists today, they should be able to speed up the process of reporting," said Rarivo.
"Everyone wants peace," he said, while pointing to the possibility of rigging.
The Indian Ocean island has been in a political deadlock for four years after Rajoelina ousted Marc Ravalomanana in an army-backed coup.
The two leading candidates according to early results were associated with Rajoelina and Ravalomanana, who are both barred from running.
Robinson Jean Louis, the candidate for now-exiled Ravalomanana, is leading with 26.03 per cent. He has called on his supporters to assemble at the ruins of a supermarket that once belonged to Ravalomanana, but was destroyed in his ouster four years ago.
Jean Louis has also said he might appoint the ex-leader or his wife Lalao Ravalomanana prime minister if elected.
Meanwhile Rajoelina's former finance minister Hery Rajaonarimampianina is in second place with 15.33 per cent of votes. Though not personally endorsed by the strongman, Rajaonarimampianina enjoyed the support of Rajoelina's party.
Election officials were confident that the publishing of results would speed up later.
"Results will only really start arriving later in the day," said election commission (Cenit) spokeswoman Valerie Andrianavalona.
"Checking the results takes time," she told AFP, adding that the final tally would probably only be available in a week.
