Chadian presidential election, 2011
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in Chad
on 25 April 2011, after being postponed from 3 April.
, announced that: "The coalition of political parties have decided to suspend their participation in the electoral commission." Fifteen opposition party-affiliated members of the election commission resigned thus posing a threat to the credibility of the election. The three main opposition candidates (Kebzabo, Kamougué and Yorongar) had said a few days prior to the withdrawal that they intended to boycott the election amidst their doubts that it would not be credible.
According to Chad's electoral code, the electoral commission must have at least two-thirds of its 31 members to constitute a quorum.http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/chad-opposition-quits-election-body-1.1047499
announced that they would boycott the "election circus" and urged voters to do so too. That followed demands of such electoral reforms as the issuance of new voter identification cards. They also claimed unfair conditions led to a loss in the February 2011 parliamentary election and that the presidential election would be a "historic fraud."
because of a delay in the arrival of voting materials and staff.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
on 25 April 2011, after being postponed from 3 April.
Candidates
- Idriss DebyIdriss DébyGeneral Idriss Déby Itno is the President of Chad and the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement. Déby is of the Bidyat clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group. He added "Itno" to his surname in January 2006.-Rise to power:...
(Patriotic Movement of Salvation), incumbent - Saleh KebzaboSaleh KebzaboSaleh Kebzabo is a Chadian politician. He is the President of the National Union for Democracy and Renewal and a Deputy in the National Assembly of Chad.-Political career:...
(National Union for Democracy and RenewalNational Union for Democracy and RenewalThe National Union for Democracy and Renewal is a political party in Chad, led by Saleh Kebzabo.In the 1997 parliamentary election, the UNDR won 15 out of 125 seats. In the parliamentary election held on 21 April 2002, the party won five out of 155 seats....
), boycotted - Wadel Abdelkader KamouguéWadel Abdelkader KamouguéWadel Abdelkader Kamougué was a Chadian politician and former army officer. Kamougué was a leading figure in the 1975 coup d'état and since then he has held several positions in the Chadian government and legislature. He was Vice-President from 1979 to 1982 and was President of the National...
(Union for Renewal and DemocracyUnion for Renewal and DemocracyThe Union for Renewal and Democracy is a political party in Chad. Its President is Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué.The party, which has always been based around Kamougué, was founded in March 1992 and legalized in May 1992...
), boycotted - Ngarlejy YorongarNgarlejy YorongarNgarlejy Koji Yorongar le Moinban is a Chadian politician. He is the Executive Federal Coordinator of the Federation, Action for the Republic , a radical opposition party, as well as a Deputy in the National Assembly of Chad and President of the Federation Parliamentary Group.-Early career:Before...
(Federation, Action for the Republic), boycotted - Albert Pahimi PadackéAlbert Pahimi PadackéAlbert Pahimi Padacké is a politician in Chad. He is currently Minister of Posts, Information Technologies and Communications and leads a political party, the National Rally for Democracy in Chad ....
(National Rally for Democracy in ChadNational Rally for Democracy in ChadThe National Rally for Democracy in Chad is a political party in Chad. It is considered a moderate opposition party allied with the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement , and it participates in the government....
) - Nadji Madou (Socialist Alliance for Integral Renewal)
Controversy
On 25 March 2011, the deputy spokesman of the coalition, Saleh KebzaboSaleh Kebzabo
Saleh Kebzabo is a Chadian politician. He is the President of the National Union for Democracy and Renewal and a Deputy in the National Assembly of Chad.-Political career:...
, announced that: "The coalition of political parties have decided to suspend their participation in the electoral commission." Fifteen opposition party-affiliated members of the election commission resigned thus posing a threat to the credibility of the election. The three main opposition candidates (Kebzabo, Kamougué and Yorongar) had said a few days prior to the withdrawal that they intended to boycott the election amidst their doubts that it would not be credible.
According to Chad's electoral code, the electoral commission must have at least two-thirds of its 31 members to constitute a quorum.http://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/chad-opposition-quits-election-body-1.1047499
Boycott
The major opposition politicians Saleh Kebzabo, Wadal Abdelkader Kamougue, and Ngarlejy YorongarNgarlejy Yorongar
Ngarlejy Koji Yorongar le Moinban is a Chadian politician. He is the Executive Federal Coordinator of the Federation, Action for the Republic , a radical opposition party, as well as a Deputy in the National Assembly of Chad and President of the Federation Parliamentary Group.-Early career:Before...
announced that they would boycott the "election circus" and urged voters to do so too. That followed demands of such electoral reforms as the issuance of new voter identification cards. They also claimed unfair conditions led to a loss in the February 2011 parliamentary election and that the presidential election would be a "historic fraud."
Election
Voting stations were reported to have opened late in the N'DjamenaN'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
because of a delay in the arrival of voting materials and staff.