SOME RESIDENTS OF SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE BARRICADED ROADS IN A PARTIAL BOYCOTT OF GENERAL ELECTIONS ON SUNDAY, ACCUSING POLITICIANS OF FAILING TO DELIVER ON PROMISES TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY, WATER AND OTHER SERVICES, REUTERS REPORTED. WITNESSES SAID THE PROTESTERS USED TREE TRUNKS, BOULDERS AND OLD CAR WRECKS TO BLOCK STREETS IN SOME NEIGHBOURHOODS OF THE TWO BIGGEST VOTING DISTRICTS, INCLUDING AGUA GRANDE WHERE THE CAPITAL IS SITUATED. 'THE PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING WATER, LIGHT AND BETTER ROADS, WHICH THEY SAY THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS AND HAVEN'T RECEIVED,' ONE WITNESS SAID. VOTING WENT AHEAD NORMALLY IN OTHER DISTRICTS OF THE TINY, TWIN ISLAND STATE IN WEST AFRICA'S GULF OF GUINEA, AND IT WAS NOT CLEAR HOW THE PARTIAL BOYCOTT WOULD AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE POLLS TO ELECT 55 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. THE PROTESTS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED A FEW THOUSAND VOTERS OUT OF A TOTAL ELECTORAL REGISTER OF NEARLY 80,000. THE MAIN PARTIES RUNNING IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION IN SAO TOME ARE BATTLING TO WIN AN OUTRIGHT MAJORITY TO SECURE POLITICAL STABILITY AHEAD OF AN EXPECTED OIL BONANZA IN THE IMPOVERISHED FORMER PORTUGUESE COLONY.
