🔗 Share this article

On Sunday, the Central African Republic will conduct a crucial quadruple election, including the presidency, parliament, and local positions.

A Crowded Race for the Presidency

Seven candidates are vying for the top office, including ex-premiers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. The two were given approval to stand by the high court after being initially barred. Dologuélé was the runner-up in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra briefly served under the current president.

Challengers' Strategy and Voter Frustrations

The opposition aims to tap into widespread frustration in a nation where violence remains a daily reality. More than half a million people are internally displaced, with a comparable figure living as refugees in bordering states.

"This represents an chance to acknowledge the significant progress of the nation," said a UN regional official, adding that obstacles persist.

Touadéra's Expected Victory

Despite the challenges, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a one-time academic, is largely predicted to secure another term. He first entered politics in 2008 when named prime minister, holding the post until a rebel coalition toppled the government in 2013, triggering a civil war.

After a chaotic three-year interim, his reputation for impartiality from the main militias powered his runoff win in 2016.

Election Risks and Voting Challenges

There are fears that supply-chain issues and violence could disrupt the electoral process, particularly in the countryside. The UN peacekeeping mission, Minusca, is offering protection and organizational aid that the country's weak systems is unable to provide.

Further issues include the electoral roll being made available only digitally, a significant barrier in a nation with scarce online access. These issues have led to an electoral boycott and could, according to observers, "exclude many of the population."

Implications of Extended Rule

Many residents fear that another term for Touadéra—made possible by a 2023 charter change that abolished term limits and lengthened mandates—would entail expanded sway for foreign actors.

The president has put faith in the private military group Wagner for personal security, and despite its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to fold its fighters into a new structure. Meanwhile, Rwanda has pursued a separate strategy, focusing on commercial ventures within CAR.

Allegations of Asset Sales

Recent reports have stated the administration removed its own soldiers from a World Bank-funded training centre to accommodate a foreign-run livestock operation. A pro-opposition editorial charged the leadership of being "intent on dispose of the nation piece by piece."

Amid a newly signed agreement with rebel groups offering hope of stabilization, the vote moves forward under a shadow of doubt and geopolitical competition.