Counting begins in Chad Presidential election

#Africa
Counting begins in Chad Presidential election

Loveworld / 60 mins

May 7, 2024

1 min read

Counting began on Monday evening in Chad for a presidential election aimed at ending three years of military rule. However, it has turned into an unprecedented showdown between General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, leader of the junta, and his Prime Minister Succès Masra, a former opponent turned ally.
Reflecting on the atmosphere, voter Fougap Kayap Sougou said, “Compared to previous elections, I feel there is a desire for change this year that everyone is noticing. Many people have turned out to vote. There is a large turnout at the polls.”
The ballot included 10 candidates, including one woman. With over 8 million registered voters in a country of more than 17 million, Chad remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
However, some observers encountered challenges with accreditation, as the Citizens’ Alliance for Elections, a monitoring platform, stated in a Sunday issued statement, without providing any explanation for the refusals.