The Central African Republic’s top judicial body, the Constitutional Council, has officially approved the candidacies of seven individuals, including two prominent former prime ministers, to challenge President Faustin-Archange Touadéra in the upcoming December 28th presidential election. This decision, announced on Friday, is a critical step in a highly contentious political process marked by the President’s successful removal of constitutional term limits.
The court rejected attempts to disqualify former Prime Ministers Henri-Marie Dondra and Anicet-Georges Dologuélé from the race. Challenges against the two opposition figures—accusing Dondra of holding French citizenship and Dologuélé of holding Congolese citizenship—were dismissed by the court, which found that insufficient evidence had been presented to prove they held dual nationality.
President Touadéra, who first took office in 2016, announced his intention to seek a controversial third term after a 2023 constitutional referendum abolished the two-term limit and extended the presidential mandate from five to seven years. The President’s successful campaign to change the constitution was largely seen as a move to extend his rule, now under the increasing security umbrella of Russian-backed forces like the Wagner Group, which has been crucial in combating rebel groups.
The inclusion of the opposition figures, particularly Dologuélé, who ran against Touadéra in both 2015 and 2020, and Dondra, who served as Touadéra’s Prime Minister from 2021 to 2022, is considered vital for lending credibility to the election.
Anicet-Georges Dologuélé served as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2001.
Henri-Marie Dondra served as Prime Minister from 2021 to 2022.
The court’s ruling was closely watched by international partners, who are pressing for an inclusive and democratically compliant electoral process amid the country’s fragile security landscape.
The Central African Republic remains challenged by chronic instability since 2013, with ongoing clashes between government forces and various armed groups. The renewal of the mandate for the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), confirmed late on Thursday, underscores the continued need for international security assistance to help secure the elections and protect civilians.
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Source:Africa Publicity
