CAR Goes to the Ballot Box as Incumbent Seeks a Third Mandate
This Sunday, the nation of CAR will hold a pivotal series of four votes, including the presidential race, parliament, and local offices.
A Competitive Presidential Field
Seven candidates are competing for the presidency, among them ex-premiers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. Both men were given approval to stand by the constitutional court after being initially barred. Dologuélé was the runner-up in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra briefly served under the incumbent.
Challengers' Strategy and Public Discontent
The challengers hopes to tap into widespread discontent in a country where violence remains a daily reality. More than half a million people are displaced within their own country, with a similar number living as refugees in neighbouring countries.
"This represents an opportunity to acknowledge the significant progress of the nation," said a senior UN diplomat, though he added that challenges persist.
The Incumbent's Path
Despite the challenges, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a former mathematics professor, is widely expected to secure another term. He first entered politics in 2008 when named prime minister, serving until a insurgent alliance toppled the government in 2013, triggering a civil war.
After a chaotic three-year interim, his reputation for impartiality from the warring factions powered his second-round victory in 2016.
Security Concerns and Voting Challenges
There are fears that logistical problems and insecurity could mar the electoral process, particularly in rural areas. The UN stabilization force, Minusca, is providing security and logistical support that the state's crumbling infrastructure cannot manage.
Additional problems involve the electoral roll being made available only digitally, a significant barrier in a nation with scarce online access. These irregularities have prompted an opposition boycott and could, according to observers, "disenfranchise large segments of the electorate."
Implications of Extended Rule
Many residents fear that another term for Touadéra—made possible by a 2023 charter change that scrapped term limits and lengthened mandates—would entail expanded sway for outside interests.
The president has put faith in the private military group Wagner for personal security, and even after its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to fold its fighters into a new structure. Meanwhile, Rwanda has taken a different approach, focusing on business ventures within CAR.
Allegations of Asset Sales
Allegations have claimed the government evicted its own soldiers from a World Bank-funded training centre to accommodate a foreign-run agricultural project. A critical editorial accused the leadership of being "determined to dispose of the nation bit by bit."
Amid a recent peace accord with rebel groups offering a glimmer of calm, the vote moves forward under a cloud of uncertainty and external rivalry.