Former president of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize on Saturday announced he would run in the December presidential election, a high-risk vote in one of the world's poorest countries plunged into civil war since he was overthrown in 2013. Bozize, who returned from exile in Uganda in mid-December, told supporters he "solemnly accepted the task you have confided in me", after he was chosen to be his party's candidate at a congress in Bangui. The former president took power following a 2003 coup, before being overthrown himself 10 years later by Michel Djotodia, head of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebellion in the predominantly Christian country. Since then, the poor landlocked country has spiralled into bloodshed, marked by vicious intercommunal violence. str-cma/jj/har/ach