Chad’s newly elected President, Mahamat Deby Itno, was sworn in on Thursday, May 23, concluding a contentious transition to democratic governance following his rise to power three years ago.
Deby Itno, also known as Mahamat Idriss Deby, assumed leadership after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, was killed in a battle against rebels in 2021, ending his three-decade rule.
After three years under military rule, the country held its long-delayed elections on May 6.
Deby Itno in his inaugural presidential address pledged to prioritize the development of Chad’s agricultural and farming sectors.
He also committed to investing in education, improving access to water, and enhancing healthcare services.
“I’ve heard your yearning for change, and I’ve understood you. Let’s all play our part, individually and collectively, to bring about the change we all hope, desire, and expect.”
Mahamat Deby Itno
Succès Masra, who had protested against Deby Itno’s extension of power and fled the country in 2022, was permitted to return last year and subsequently appointed Prime Minister.
He claimed victory in the recent election and filed an appeal challenging the preliminary results that declared Mahamat Deby Itno the winner. However, his appeal was dismissed. He resigned from his position as Prime Minister on Wednesday, May 22.
Chad, an oil-exporting nation with nearly 18 million residents, has not experienced a democratic transfer of power since gaining independence from French colonial rule in 1960.
Western leaders congratulated Mahamat Deby Itno despite irregularities in the election, including Chad’s controversial ban on 2,900 EU-trained observers from monitoring the vote.
Chad is considered an ally by the US and France in the increasingly unstable Sahel region. This comes in the wake of military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where ruling juntas have expelled French forces and sought security assistance from Russian mercenary units.
“Although there were troubling shortcomings, we welcome the milestones in Chad’s transition process,” the US State Department said last week.
Also, the British government described the election as a significant landmark in restoring civilian rule.
“The UK commends the engagement of the Chadian people and welcomes the largely peaceful way in which the elections and campaign were conducted,” it said in a statement.
Deby’s Inauguration Graced By African Leaders
The inauguration ceremony of Mahamat Deby Itno was attended by several African leaders, including Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé, the Central African Republic’s Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Gabon’s Brice Clotaire Oligui-Nguema, Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Sissoco Embaló, Burundi’s Évariste Ndayishimiye, and Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu.
French President Emmanuel Macron publicly congratulated Deby on his election and sent Franck Riester, the Minister for Foreign Trade and Francophonie, to the swearing-in ceremony.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also extended his congratulations.
“Russian-Chadian relations are of a friendly nature. We expect that your activity as head of state will continue to contribute to the development of constructive bilateral cooperation – for the benefit of our peoples, in the interests of strengthening stability and security on the African continent.”
Vladimir Putin
Deby secured his presidential victory in the May 6 election with 61 percent of the votes, defeating outgoing Prime Minister Succès Masra, who received 18.53 percent, and former Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacké, who garnered 16 percent.
However, the election results were contested by opposition candidates citing alleged voting irregularities.
This transition started when long-serving president Idriss Deby Itno, Mahamat Deby Itno’s father, was killed in battle by rebels from the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT).
FACT is a political and military organization created by SG Mahamat Mahdi Ali in March 2016 in Tanua, in the north of Chad, intending to overthrow the government of Chad.
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