Central African Republic chooses capital's mayor as interim president
- 10 years ago
This is the new interim president of Central African Republic:
Catherine Samba-Panza.
She's Africa's third post-colonial female head of state.
On Monday, lawmakers cast their ballots for this former mayor of the capital, Bangui.
The 59-year will now have to lead the country out of months of sectarian killings towards fresh elections.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) INTERIM PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CATHERINE SAMBA-PANZA, SAYING (IN RESPONSE TO JOURNALIST ASKING IF SHE IS HAPPY):
"I am happy. I am honoring the women of Central African Republic."
Samba-Panza succeeds a president who led a mostly Muslim rebel coalition that had seized power in March.
He stepped down this month under international pressure for failing to stop the sectarian bloodshed that erupted after the revolt.
As candidate, she had to show she had no link to either the Muslim militias, nor to the Christian militias - called anti-balaka --- who were fighting them ba
Catherine Samba-Panza.
She's Africa's third post-colonial female head of state.
On Monday, lawmakers cast their ballots for this former mayor of the capital, Bangui.
The 59-year will now have to lead the country out of months of sectarian killings towards fresh elections.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) INTERIM PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CATHERINE SAMBA-PANZA, SAYING (IN RESPONSE TO JOURNALIST ASKING IF SHE IS HAPPY):
"I am happy. I am honoring the women of Central African Republic."
Samba-Panza succeeds a president who led a mostly Muslim rebel coalition that had seized power in March.
He stepped down this month under international pressure for failing to stop the sectarian bloodshed that erupted after the revolt.
As candidate, she had to show she had no link to either the Muslim militias, nor to the Christian militias - called anti-balaka --- who were fighting them ba