Mauritanian voters are headed to the polls in the country’s first election without an incumbent presidential candidate since the 2008 coup.
Polling stations opened Saturday at 8am across the Sahara Desert nation and will remain open until 7pm local time.
President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is stepping down, as is mandated by the constitution, after his two five-year terms. His ruling Union for the Republic party has put forth former defense minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as its candidate.
Opposition candidates say that Ghazouani would not affect any change from the last administration – change they say is desperately needed.
A former prime minister and leading opposition candidate Sidi Mohammed Ould Boubacar, is one of five opposition candidates running to replace the UPR.
Other candidates include well-known anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who has promised a national inquiry into the country’s cases of modern slavery.
