General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno Sworn In as Chad's President After Contested Election, International Community Divided
Chad's military leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, was sworn in as president on May 6, after winning an election with 61% of the votes.
The election was contested by the opposition and deemed neither free nor credible by international NGOs.
Deby took the oath of office in front of eight African heads of state, Constitutional Council members, and hundreds of guests at the Palace of Arts and Culture in N'Djamena.
His presidential term lasts for five years and can be renewed once.
Deby declared a "return to constitutional order" and promised to be a president for all Chadians.
In April 2021, Deby was declared transitional president of Chad by a group of 15 generals following the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled with an iron fist for 30 years.
Deby's election ended three years of military rule in Chad, which is important in the fight against jihadism in Africa's Sahel region.
The international community, including France, endorsed Deby's presidency.
Allamaye Halina, a former ambassador to China, was named prime minister, while Succes Masra, Deby's previous prime minister and a former opponent, resigned after his party suffered an election defeat.
The opposition criticized Deby's election as a continuation of a dynasty.
Masra, an economist who received 18.5% of the votes in Chad's presidential election, contested the results and did not attend Deby's inauguration.
He claimed victory initially but faced accusations of being a junta stooge by the opposition, which has been violently repressed in Chad.
Masra's bid to annul the result was rejected by the Constitutional Council, leading him to call on supporters to remain mobilized but peaceful.
Deby's cousin and leading opposition candidate, Yaya Dillo Djerou, was shot and killed during an army assault on February 28.
The turnout of heads of state at Deby's investiture was low, with only eight African presidents attending.
Other countries were represented by ministers or ambassadors.
French President Emmanuel Macron sent his minister for foreign trade and Francophonie, Franck Riester, to represent him at the funeral of Chad's late president, Idriss Deby.
Chad, one of the world's poorest nations and France's last military foothold in the Sahel region with 1,000 soldiers, has strengthened ties with Russia after severing relations with Paris due to jihadist insurgencies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate Deby on his election before his death.
Deby took the oath of office in front of eight African heads of state, Constitutional Council members, and hundreds of guests at the Palace of Arts and Culture in N'Djamena.
His presidential term lasts for five years and can be renewed once.
Deby declared a "return to constitutional order" and promised to be a president for all Chadians.
In April 2021, Deby was declared transitional president of Chad by a group of 15 generals following the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled with an iron fist for 30 years.
Deby's election ended three years of military rule in Chad, which is important in the fight against jihadism in Africa's Sahel region.
The international community, including France, endorsed Deby's presidency.
Allamaye Halina, a former ambassador to China, was named prime minister, while Succes Masra, Deby's previous prime minister and a former opponent, resigned after his party suffered an election defeat.
The opposition criticized Deby's election as a continuation of a dynasty.
Masra, an economist who received 18.5% of the votes in Chad's presidential election, contested the results and did not attend Deby's inauguration.
He claimed victory initially but faced accusations of being a junta stooge by the opposition, which has been violently repressed in Chad.
Masra's bid to annul the result was rejected by the Constitutional Council, leading him to call on supporters to remain mobilized but peaceful.
Deby's cousin and leading opposition candidate, Yaya Dillo Djerou, was shot and killed during an army assault on February 28.
The turnout of heads of state at Deby's investiture was low, with only eight African presidents attending.
Other countries were represented by ministers or ambassadors.
French President Emmanuel Macron sent his minister for foreign trade and Francophonie, Franck Riester, to represent him at the funeral of Chad's late president, Idriss Deby.
Chad, one of the world's poorest nations and France's last military foothold in the Sahel region with 1,000 soldiers, has strengthened ties with Russia after severing relations with Paris due to jihadist insurgencies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate Deby on his election before his death.
Translation:
Translated by AI
