Chad’s military leader, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election on May 6th.
This news comes just three days after the death of his main political rival, Yaya Dillo Djerou, under unclear circumstances.
Deby Itno, who took power in 2021 following his father’s death, initially promised a return to civilian rule within 18 months.
However, he extended the transition and faced protests that were harshly suppressed by security forces.
The May election date was only announced recently, raising concerns about the hasty timeline.
Deby Itno’s candidacy is expected to be unchallenged due to the recent death of his main opponent and the weakened state of the opposition.
Djerou’s party accuses the security forces of extrajudicially killing him during a raid on their headquarters.
The government maintains that Djerou resisted arrest and fired upon them.
Human rights groups have expressed grave concerns about the circumstances surrounding Djerou’s death and the overall environment leading up to the election.
They call for an independent investigation into the incident and highlight the risks faced by opposition figures in Chad.
Djerou’s death and the arrest of a member of Deby Itno’s own family have reportedly created further tensions within the ruling elite.
This volatile political situation casts a shadow over the upcoming elections in Chad.
