VOA常速英语2013--马里人希望选举带来新开始

Malians Hope for Fresh Start Ahead of Sunday Vote 马里人希望选举带来新开始

为了选举出新的总统，马里的选民们在星期日参加了投票，这是西非国家恢复宪法秩序的关键的第一步。北部的冲突和军事政变使得马里甚至更大的地区超过一年半的时间不得安宁。即将到来的选举将会为建立一个有必要合法性的政府提供机会，这将有利于追求更长远的政治和发展的优先权。

"A strong Mali; a new Mali; Mali above all; Mali, our pride; the Mali of our ambitions." - the 27 candidates have all been singing pretty much the same tune 1, pledging to reconcile the country, rebuild and root out corruption 2.  Mali has never fallen so low, they say, and it must never happen again.

The two top challengers are longtime fixtures 3 on Mali's political scene: former prime minister and current National Assembly deputy from Bamako Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and a technocrat 4 from Timbuktu, Soumaila Cisse. 

Keita was the longtime opponent of the president ousted 5 by the coup 6 in March 2012. His track record of fierce nationalism and tough talk have won him points with voters.

Keita was the first candidate to campaign in the northern rebel stronghold of Kidal, which will vote Sunday despite ongoing 7 tensions. 

"Mali needs to come back together," he told voters. "The fabric 8 of our society has been torn apart.  Mali needs to return to the state of brotherhood 9 and solidarity 10 that it has always been.  This is what I wish for Mali, and, God willing, it is what I will do."

His top rival, Soumaila Cisse, was a government minister in the 1990's who then ran the West African Monetary 11 Union for seven years.  Supporters say they trust his experience and management skills. 

In a possible run-off, Cisse could have the support of the two other top candidates, or vice 12 versa. They include ex-prime minister and longtime government heavyweight, Modibo Sidibe, and a relative unknown, Dramane Dembele, who is backed by Mali's largest political party.

Among the other first-time candidates getting some traction 13 are the lone 14 female candidate, Aichata Chada Haidara, and the mayor of Bamako's Commune IV district, Moussa Mara. 

"This country's problems come from bad leadership and bad governance," Mara remarked.  "How do we make it so that the next leader does what he promises, that he involves and informs citizens?  So that the citizen, instead of being just a spectator, becomes an actor in the building of this country?  This is how we will develop Mali." 

Mara, at just 38 years old, is one of the youngest candidates -- a not unpopular trait as the country clamors for a fresh start. 

"In this country, we need to promote youth leadership," he said. "We need to work in truth and transparency.  We need to learn to respect public wealth and rise above personal interests."

Mali had just a few short months to prepare for this crucial election, and authorities confess that a few corners had to be cut.  

Errors on the voter list mean that tens of thousands of registered voters will not be able to vote Sunday.  Issues surrounding the distribution of nearly 7 million biometric voter cards have already sparked rumblings of fraud and irregularities. 

If no candidate wins a clear majority, the two top-scoring candidates will head to a runoff on August 11.  

Nick Loomis and Amadou Maiga contributed reporting from Bamako.