TRIPOLI. - On Saturday, Libyans head to voting polls to caste a vote that would elect a temporary 20 member legislative assembly, which would in turn select a national cabinet and its prime minister. This is the first time in 60 years that Libyans are voting in a free national election.
In certain regions there were violent outburst, making it dangerous for civilians to go out and vote, never the less BBC News reports that the turn out was rather strong. Despite a number of raids, cocktail bombs and violence to prevent and discourage voters from casting the ballots, the interim self-appointed Transitional National Council says that elections are sure to provide some legitimacy to a new government and end 60 years of dictatorship.
"We will vote for the fatherland whether there is shooting or not...whoever dies for their country is a martyr, and even if there are explosions, we are going to vote," a voter in the nation's capital, Tripoli told the New York Times.
People have been pouring out to polls; many lined up hours before polls opened at 8.00am Saturday morning.
Libya has been under the military regime of Colonial Muammar Gadaffi who was overthrown in the violent uprising that took place last year. The last time Libyans voted in a national free elections were the parliamentary elections that took place in 1952. The country is still run by militias and the environment continues to be dangerous.
