General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno is set to take the presidential oath in Chad today, Thursday, ushering in a new chapter after securing a decisive victory in a highly scrutinized election. Deby, who has been at the helm of the nation’s military government for three years, clinched the vote with a 61% majority.
His main competitor, Succes Masra, who recently stepped down from his brief tenure as Prime Minister totaling four months, earned just shy of 20% of the electoral pie.
The inauguration symbolizes a significant shift from military governance to an elected administration in a region that stands at the forefront of combating insurgencies across the unstable Sahel region.
In the wake of Chad’s Constitutional Council’s decision against voiding the election results, Masra conceded, citing a lack of “national legal recourse.” He urged his adherents to sustain their engagement yet remain “peaceful.”
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Amidst political changes, Yaya Dillo Djerou, a relative of Deby and prominent opposition figure, was fatally engaged by military forces over allegations of inciting an assault on the National Security Agency headquarters.
Deby’s ascension to power was initially triggered three years ago after his father’s passing during a rebel insurgency. There are growing convictions that the recent electoral outcome further reinforces the Deby family’s longstanding dominance.
Chad holds strategic significance for France as their primary military bastion in the Sahel, with President Macron being among the sparse few international figures extending congratulations to Deby.
Macron, who attended the funeral of Deby’s father in 2021, is expected to dispatch a delegation to partake in the impending inauguration festivities.
In conclusion, The extent of participation from Russia is anticipated to draw attention, especially as various Sahelian states increasingly explore partnerships with Moscow.
