Turnout in a referendum in Congo was reduced to a trickle in the capital after the opposition asked voters to boycott the poll, a report said on Monday.
The referendum was to ascertain whether the president can legally stand for a third consecutive term in an election due next year.
President Denis Sassou Nguesso, 71, is the latest long-serving African president to try to prolong his grip on power by changing the constitution.
Several other such efforts have provoked violence, and four died in Congo Republic last week when security forces opened fire on protesters.
In some parts of the capital, the only voters were members of the security forces, witnesses said.
There was no information on turnout in other parts of the country as Polling booths closed at 6 p.m. and vote counting began.
Sassou Nguesso appeared confident of victory when he voted and said he regretted that the opposition had called for a boycott.
“The Congolese are a free and sovereign people my side will win because I know that our people love peace,” Nguesso said.
According to the report, dozens of residents moved from southern neighbourhoods of Brazzaville to other areas on Saturday to avoid possible conflict, although several said they were worried they would not be able to vote as a result.
Others complained they had not received voter cards while some people held up signs with the word “No” in protest at the vote.
Analysts have warned that further violence is possible and that a low turnout could undermine the vote’s credibility.
“From what we have seen in Brazzaville and the interior of the country people haven’t voted. This is a defeat for the government,” said opposition leader Pascal Tsaty Mabiala, of the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy party.
“He, Sassou Nguesso, will invent figures to change the constitution, but that constitution won’t have the support of the population,” Mabiala told newsmen.
Nguesso has ruled the oil-producing country for 31 and is seeking re-election if the referendum turns out in his favour(Reuters/NAN)
