Updated

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — The president of the Central African Republic has issued a decree delaying the country's elections again, to Jan. 23.

The decree from President Francois Bozize was read Friday on national radio and calls for an 11-day campaign starting Jan. 10.

Initially set for April, then May, then pushed back to October, the vote has been delayed in part because opposition leaders complained that rebels had not been disarmed and voter registration lists were not complete.

The impoverished nation has been plagued by military revolts and other uprisings since independence from France in 1960. Bozize, a former military commander, came to power in a 2003 rebel war that ousted his predecessor, Ange-Felix Patasse.