Chadians head to the polls for presidential elections

By Christopher Wells

The people of Chad are set to vote today in presidential elections, with the country set to become the first of a group of junta-led countries in the Sahel region of Africa to transition to democracy.

Chad’s military seized power in April 2021 when rebels killed long-term leader Idriss Deby. His son, Mahamat Idriss Deby, is widely expected to win Monday’s election, although he faces a challenge from former prime minister Succes Masra and seven other candidates.

Some opposition groups and leaders in civil society have called for a boycott of the vote, fearing a lack of transparency and possible vote-rigging.

Bishops call for transparency

Chad’s bishops, in a statement issued after their Ordinary Session in April, have called on the transitional government to “do everything possible to guarantee the smooth running and success of the polls by promoting the free expression of each citizen's choice, in compliance with the electoral code and the transparency of the results of the votes cast in the ballot boxes.”

Polls opened Monday at 7 am and are set to close at 5 pm local time, with results expected within two weeks. If no candidate wins 50% of the votes, there will be a run-off election on June 22. Soldiers began early voting on Saturday.

Political instability and climate change in the Sahel

The Sahel region is a semi-arid region immediately south of the Sahara, stretching across the whole of Africa from west to east. The region has been severely impacted by political upheaval and Jihadism, with several countries – including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The area is regularly struck by droughts and subject to increasing desertification, both severely impacted by climate change. The people of the Sahel also face frequent shortages of food and water due to the semi-arid climate and widespread government corruption.