A number of Chad opposition leaders have urged their supporters to boycott the country’s upcoming election on Sunday, 11th April amid futile calls for President Idriss Deby;to step down after five terms.
Speaking at a rally in the capital, N’Djamena, the President urged supporters to come out in their numbers to vote as he looks to extend his three-decade rule.
“There are those who say a sixth term is too much; I say they’re wrong. I’m confident we’re going to win.”
Deby, a former military officer, came to power spearheading the rebellion that overthrew longtime military ruler, Hissene Habre in 1990. He won elections in 1996 and again in 2001 before pushing through a constitutional change in 2018 that could allow him to stay in power until 2033.
Analysts say the President is;poised;to secure re-election against nine opponents after the Constitutional Court;rejected;the applications of seven candidates. Three challengers whose files;were approved;are officially boycotting the vote, although their names are still on the ballot.
“I cannot participate in a poll;where the outcome is already known,”;said Saleh Kebzabo, the runner-up in the 2016 presidential poll.
He and other opposition leaders including Ngarlejy Yorongar have also cited the violent arrest of another candidate, Yaya Dillo,;in late February as a reason for the boycott.
Kebzabo pledged to maintain pressure on Deby to step down and called for fresh protests.
“A sixth mandate is too much; we have to speak up and we will continue to do so.”
The United Nations has also called for an investigation after security forces went to;arrest Dillo, a former minister in Deby’s government. Dillo and other witnesses said security forces killed the politician’s mother and son and wounded several others.
Other politicians arrested
Chad’s government has also announced the arrest of several opposition politicians. These politicians are;accused;of planning “terrorist attacks” against the electoral commission’s headquarters and the ransacking of polling stations.
Human rights groups have noted that protests against Deby’s administration have mounted since February with a coalition of NGOs, labour unions and opposition political parties calling for a change in political leadership and an end to social and economic injustices.
However, according to a Human Rights Watch report, authorities have “ruthlessly” responded with crackdowns on protesters.
Deby is solidly backed by former colonial power France, which in 2008 and in 2019 used military force to help defeat rebels who tried to oust him. France considers him a reliable figure in the French-led campaign against jihadist insurgents in the Sahel.
Chad, despite being a major oil producer, is the third poorest country in the world, according to the UN’s humanitarian development index. It has been hit hard by multiple oil price crashes since 2014, which has led to rising debt levels.
In January, Chad became the first country to ask for debt restructuring under the Group of 20 common framework aiming to gather Chinese and private lenders in a global debt-relief push.
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