Chad Holds Presidential Election Amidst Bloody Transition Under Military Rule

Chadians commenced voting for a president on Monday in an election purportedly aimed at ending military rule but dismissed by opponents of junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby as a fix following violent repression.

Voters will decide whether to prolong decades of Deby family rule in one of the world’s poorest countries, a crucial territory in the fight against jihadism across the Sahel desert region. They have the opportunity to choose Deby’s own prime minister, Succes Masra, criticized as a puppet by detractors in the absence of any other serious contenders. At his final election rally on Friday, Deby pledged a “knockout in the first round”.

Masra also pledged to secure victory without a run-off, assuring supporters: “For the first time, Chad will be yours, Chadians.” International human rights organizations have cautioned that the election will not be free or fair as Deby’s primary rival has been killed and others prohibited from running. Generals appointed Deby as transition leader in 2021 after his father, longtime president Idriss Deby Itno, was killed in a gunfight with rebels following 30 years in power.

Known as MIDI, and “the Man in Dark Glasses”, Mahamat pledged an 18-month transition to democracy, but later extended it by two years. Opposition figures have either fled, been silenced, or aligned with Deby, while the junta has thwarted any efforts by civil society to campaign against it. On October 20, 2022, the army and police fired on demonstrators protesting the transition extension, including members of Masra’s party, the Transformers. According to international NGOs, at least 300 young people perished, while the regime claims about 50 deaths.

Deby’s cousin and primary election rival Yaya Dillo Djerou was shot at close range in the head during an army assault on February 28, as per his party’s account.

Masra, who was initially forced out of the country but later made a comeback and assumed the position of prime minister in January, has a significant presence in the political landscape.

However, the other eight candidates, who are relatively unknown or perceived as non-hostile towards the regime, are not expected to garner substantial support in the upcoming election.

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expressed concerns about the credibility, freedom, and democratic nature of the election, citing an increase in human rights violations, including the killing of Dillo.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) also raised doubts about the credibility of the election, highlighting issues such as the limited transparency in vote-counting and the exclusion of ten rival candidates in Deby’s strongholds. Both the ICG and FIDH questioned the independence of the Constitutional Council and the National Election Management Agency (ANGE).

With over 8.2 million registered voters in Chad, a country ranked as the fourth least-developed in the world, a new generation of voters, particularly those aged between 10 and 24, will participate in the electoral process.

While some view Deby as the only candidate offering hope and capable of governing the country, others, like 26-year-old literature student Idriss Amidou, are inclined to support Masra, believing that the ruling family has failed to address critical issues such as infrastructure and electricity.