Port harcourt: Central African Republic: President Faustin-Archange Touadera has secured a third term in office, achieving an outright majority in the presidential election held on December 28, as revealed by provisional results from the electoral commission on Monday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the 68-year-old mathematician, who first came to power a decade ago, sought a third term following a 2023 constitutional referendum that removed the presidential term limit. Touadera’s campaign emphasized his record on security in the persistently unstable nation, highlighting his collaboration with Russian mercenaries and Rwandan soldiers. This year, he also managed to sign peace agreements with several rebel groups.
Mathias Morouba, the country’s top election official, announced on Monday night that Touadera garnered 76.15 percent of the vote. In comparison, former Prime Minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele received 14.66 percent, and former Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra secured 3.19 percent. Voter turnout was recorded at 52.42 percent.
The main opposition coalition, known by its French acronym BRDC, boycotted the election, claiming it would not be fair. Both Dologuele and Dondra, even before the results were declared, questioned their legitimacy, holding separate news conferences to denounce what they called election fraud. Dologuele, who was the runner-up in the 2020 election, stated in a news conference on Friday that there had been a ‘methodical attempt to manipulate’ the outcome. He emphasized that the Central African people expressed a clear desire for change on December 28.
Touadera’s administration has refuted any claims of fraud. The Constitutional Court has until January 20 to address any challenges and announce the final results. Touadera’s victory is anticipated to further Russia’s interests, which have provided security assistance in exchange for access to resources such as gold and diamonds. Nevertheless, Touadera has indicated an interest in renewing Western partnerships, expressing openness to any country willing to develop CAR’s lithium, uranium, and gold reserves.
Opposition groups contend that the 2023 referendum, which enabled him to extend his rule into a second decade, demonstrates his intent to remain president for life. Despite these tensions, no significant disturbances were reported during the voting on December 28, a notable difference from the last election in 2020 when rebel groups obstructed the opening of numerous polling stations.
Analysts caution that Touadera’s security achievements remain delicate. Nathalia Dukhan, a Central Africa analyst for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, noted that armed groups have not vanished but have instead been integrated into the system. Some leaders of these groups have been appointed to government positions following peace agreements with Touadera. Dukhan warned that if these leaders perceive the system as not serving their interests, the situation could escalate dramatically.