Chad’s military junta has extended duration of the transition period towards democratic elections with Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno continuing as head of state in the interim, reported The Africa News.
The national reconciliation dialogue forum, which has been boycotted by most opposition members, major rebel groups as well as civil society organizations, adopted a measure to extend the transition for the next 24 months.
The forum has also agreed that the military leader would not only continue as transitional president but be eligible to run for the presidency in the next election.
“On the transition, the commission noted that there was a broad consensus to set it at a maximum of 24 months,” said Ahmat Barchire, Rapporteur of the National Sovereign Inclusive Dialogue (DNIS).
“A consensus was reached that any Chadian who fulfils the conditions set by the law should be eligible to vote and be elected,” he added.
Deby took over as Chad’s interim head in April last year after his father, Idriss Deby Itno, the country’s ruler for three decades, was killed during a military operation against rebels.
He had initially vowed to hand over power to an elected civilian government after 18 months, a period which is due to end in October. He also pledged that he would not contest in the upcoming presidential elections.
But now, as per the new plan approved on Saturday, the transition that was due to end this October has been extended by two years, meaning elections would take place around October 2024.
It also allows Chad’s interim head Deby to remain in power until the vote, although his Transitional Military Council will dissolve and be replaced with a transitional government, appointed by him.
As per the UN data, Chad is the third poorest nation in the world. In 2021, it ranked 113 out of 116 nations on the “Global Hunger Index”.
