By AFPMore by this AuthorCOTONOUBenin gears up to hold local elections without key opposition parties Sunday as the authorities push ahead with the vote despite the coronavirus threat and calls for a delay. The West African nation of 11 million on Monday rolled back a raft of restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the virus. We could have postponed the poll to do things better," said one candidate in largest city Cotonou on condition of anonymity. Now leading opposition parties again find themselves barred from Saturday's vote for control of 77 councils across the country. Opponents have called on voters to boycott the poll over the political situation and the risks from coronavirus.

Source: Daily Nation May 15, 2020 04:41 UTC