Mali’s presidential candidate, Soumalia Cissé on Sunday said his staff had intercepted ballots in Bamako and Gao which he claimed was evidence of electoral fraud in the run-off poll.

Speaking in Niafunke where he cast his vote, Cissé also accused incumbent President Ibrahim Boubabcar Keita who is touted to be the favourite to win after securing 41 percent of votes in the first round of election, of cheating.

“Everywhere we found an extremely strong desire for change. Malians want to change. Malians want a different future, a different hope. That is why I am very happy to be here. I am very happy because I am confident about today’s vote.

“But I also want to say that unfortunately last night we found elements of fraud in Bamako. We found people who already had booklets of ballots with them. We held a news conference to show to the world that the other camp is not playing fair, that the other camp is carrying out fraud.

“The ballots are pre-voted in Gao, we have examples of that. In Bamako people already had ballots. But we will win because we are on the path of truth, we are on the path of hope and Malians need to change, they don’t need cheating, they don’t need a president who cheats to win,” Cissé said

Mali’s July 29 poll was marred by widespread violence and armed attacks. The run- off poll also saw similar attacks as security sources confirmed that the chief of one polling station was killed by assailants in the Timbuktu region.