Haiti election goes to Manigat vs Celestin run-off

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s presidential  election will go to a second round run-off between former first  lady Mirlande Manigat and government technocrat Jude Celestin,  a protege of outgoing President Rene Preval, electoral  authorities said yesterday.

The Provisional Electoral Council announced the run-off  between the top two vote winners after no candidate gained  more than the 50 percent required to win in the first round of  the presidential and legislative elections held on Nov. 28.

Manigat garnered 31.37 percent of the first round votes  ahead of Celestin with 22.48 percent, according to preliminary  official results read to reporters in Port-au-Prince by  Provisional Electoral Council spokesman Richard Dumel  Thibault.

Popular musician Michel Martelly, who had warned of street  protests by his supporters if the results did not put him among  the top two, finished third, narrowly behind Celestin with  21.84 percent of the first round votes.
The second round run-off has been provisionally set for  Jan. 16, but the date has to be confirmed by electoral  authorities.

In an atmosphere of tension, Haitians waited impatiently  for the preliminary results of the elections, which generated  charges of fraud, protests and sporadic violence in the  impoverished Caribbean country.

The international community has been hoping the elections,  held amid a deadly cholera epidemic, can produce a stable,  legitimate new leadership to steer Haiti’s recovery from a  devastating Jan. 12 earthquake that killed more than 250,000  people.

U.N. peacekeepers and international election observers have  been grappling with repeated allegations of “massive fraud” by  more than half of the 18 presidential candidates.

There have  also been recurrent street protests and fears that there may be  worse violence still come.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which has more than  12,000 troops and police deployed in support of Haitian police,  has appealed to candidates and their supporters to remain calm,  respect the law and avoid violence.