The likely landslide reelection of incumbent Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev is looking more farcical by the minute.
Yesterday, the main challenger Almazbek Atambaev said he was pulling out because of widespread violations, although he's still technically on the ballot. Not that it makes a difference as he's reportedly polled around 7 percent.
And then perhaps the most controversial candidate, Nurlan Motuev, managed to vote in the wrong polling station, according to the privately owned AKIpress website.
Easy mistake to make as he voted in Bishkek's polling station No. 1333 in secondary school No. 11, while he was supposed to vote at polling station No. 1332 at school No. 65.
Apparently, he explained his error by saying that he always voted at school No. 11. Never mind though, he said, "After [time in] jail and after I was kept in remand centre No. 1 in the city of Bishkek, nothing can frustrate me."
Motuev, otherwise known as the "coal king of Kara-Keche," was imprisoned for his "business activities," which included embezzling money from the sale of around $800,000 worth of coal.
We have profiles of the candidates here, where you can watch Motuev saying if he was president he would arrest any journalists that attacked the dignity of the presidency.
-- Luke Allnutt
Yesterday, the main challenger Almazbek Atambaev said he was pulling out because of widespread violations, although he's still technically on the ballot. Not that it makes a difference as he's reportedly polled around 7 percent.
And then perhaps the most controversial candidate, Nurlan Motuev, managed to vote in the wrong polling station, according to the privately owned AKIpress website.
Easy mistake to make as he voted in Bishkek's polling station No. 1333 in secondary school No. 11, while he was supposed to vote at polling station No. 1332 at school No. 65.
Apparently, he explained his error by saying that he always voted at school No. 11. Never mind though, he said, "After [time in] jail and after I was kept in remand centre No. 1 in the city of Bishkek, nothing can frustrate me."
Motuev, otherwise known as the "coal king of Kara-Keche," was imprisoned for his "business activities," which included embezzling money from the sale of around $800,000 worth of coal.
We have profiles of the candidates here, where you can watch Motuev saying if he was president he would arrest any journalists that attacked the dignity of the presidency.
-- Luke Allnutt