Haiti's postponed presidential run-off to take place on January 17

Haitian President Michel Martelly has announced January 17 as the date for the postponed presidential run-off to choose his successor.

The run-off was scheduled to be held last week but was postponed as opposition factions alleged fraud during the first round of voting in October.

In a speech  on Friday, to mark Haiti’s independence, Martelly called on Haitians "to vote en masse, like they should, for the person who best represents them."

He said the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has warned that in order to fulfill the constitutional mandate of inaugurating a president by February 7, the runoff must be held by the latest, January 17.

Last month , the Provisional Election Council (CEP)  postponed the December  27 presidential runoff to allow a five-member commission to address allegations of multiple voting and ballot tampering.

The opposition is demanding an independent review of the late October first round of voting which it insists was rigged in favor of government-backed candidate – banana exporter, Jovenel Moise.

Moise will go up against the former head of a construction company, Jude Celestin, who came second in the first round of voting.