Political campaigns kick off in Chad ahead of presidential election

Ahead of the presidential election in Chad, interim President Mahamat Idriss Déby has begun his campaign meant to restore democratic governance in the country.

Mr Deby will contest against nine other candidates in the poll scheduled for May 6, including the junta-appointed Prime Minister Succès Masra.

Recall that he had proposed an 18-month transition to democratic administration when he took power in 2021 upon his father’s death.

However, he later postponed the elections until this year, resulting in violent protests that were crushed by security forces.

Despite his failure to hold on to his promises, he vowed to adhere to the electoral campaign promises in his first rally in the capital, N’Djamena.

He promised to strengthen security and guarantee Chad’s peace and stability, despite the raging insecurity that has affected some parts of the country.

The son of the former leader, Idriss Deby, is largely expected to win the anticipated poll, which some opposition politicians have critisised.

His primary opponent, who is also the opposition leader Yaya Dillo, was assassinated in a gunfight with security forces on February 28.

The government blamed him for a fatal attack on the country’s security agency, which he rejected.

The Constitutional Court also prevented ten other candidates from contesting last month, including two strong junta critics.