BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Central African Republic's constitutional court has certified results from the first round of the country's long-awaited presidential vote, confirming that two former prime ministers will compete in a runoff.

The results certified Monday gave the leading candidate, Anicet Georges Dologuele, nearly 24 percent of the vote while second-place finisher Faustin Archange Touadere received 19 percent. The runoff was initially scheduled for Jan. 31 but is now expected no sooner than Feb. 7.

The winner of the election will take over from a transitional government that came to power in 2014 when a rebel leader stepped aside less than a year after his forces overthrew the government.

Sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims in the past several years has caused nearly 1 million people to flee their homes.