Voters turned out in droves in Central African Republic yesterday to elect a new president in a run-off poll to end two years of military rule in the impoverished former French colony.

Long, orderly lines of people snaked away from well-guarded polling stations throughout the rundown capital of Bangui while the security forces patrolled the potholed streets and taxis and minibuses ferried voters to and fro.

Central African Republic is a landlocked country that stretches from lush rainforest in the southwest to dry savannah in the north. It exports diamonds, timber, coffee and cotton but remains one of the poorest countries on earth.

Since independence, Central Africans have endured coups, military uprisings and brutal dictatorships which have hamstrung economic development. Bangui is now rated the second worst city on earth to live in after Baghdad.

The latest coup was in March 2003 when former army chief Francois Bozize attacked the capital with the help of fighters from neighbouring Chad and booted out President Ange Felix Patasse, who now lives in exile.

Bozize declared himself president and pledged to restore democracy. Two years later, he is favourite to win the present run-off poll and become leader through the ballot box.

He won the first round of the presidential election in March with 43 percent of the vote but fell short of the outright majority needed to avoid a second round. However he has snared the support of several of the losing candidates.

Bozize is running against Martin Ziguele, who was prime minister under Patasse and returned from exile to contest the election. Ziguele won 23.5 percent first time round.

Former military ruler Andre Kolingba, who also came back from exile to stand and came third, declined to endorse either candidate. He told his supporters the fate of the country was in their hands and they should make their own choice.

Central Africans in the capital, where bars and liquor stores were shut for the day, said they were happy to be able to exercise their democratic right and vote for a new president.

«We are going to end this transition by voting massively for the two candidates, and one will be president,» said one woman, who declined to give her name.

On the eve of the poll, both candidates told their party faithful they were sure to win while the Interior Minister warned any attempts to rig the vote would be foiled.

One man was caught with four voting cards in a polling booth in Bangui and taken away by gendarmes. Officials said a dozen people had been snatched with multiple cards but there were no major incidents in the first few hours of voting.

Central Africans were also voting yesterday to fill 88 remaining seats in the 105-member national assembly after 17 candidates were elected outright in the March election.

Polls opened at 6 a.m.and were due to close at 4. p.m. Results were due in the coming fortnight, according to the independent electoral commission.