Chad: AU demands junta in power to stick to 18-month transition

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union has called on the Chadian junta to stick to 18 months period for the completion of the transition and said it opposes the candidacy of any member of the Transition Military Council (TMC) led by Mahamat Deby, son of former leader Idriss Deby.

The PSC’s position is expressed in the communique of the 1106th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council held on 19 September 2022, on the Update on Political Transition in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, and Mali.

The PSC “Reaffirms its call for the transition authorities to respect the 18 months period for the completion of the transition and unequivocally reiterates that all members of the Transition Military Council (TMC) shall be ineligible to participate as candidates for the elections at the end of the transition,” the statement’s section on Chad said.

The TMC took over power in April last year following the death of Idriss Deby. It presented an 18-month roadmap with climax being free and transparent elections after a National and Inclusive Dialogue (NID).
The NID took place under the auspices of Qatar

The PSC’s statement clashes with a set of proposals made by an ad hoc commission established by the NID. The proposals including the validation of candidacies of TMC members and extension of transition for additional 24 months with Mahamat Deby still in position.

“All Chadians of both sexes are equal before the law without distinction of race, origin or religion. They are electors and eligible under the conditions determined by law,” commission said citing the constitution of the central African country.

“Any Chadian citizen may run for office and be elected, subject to the age requirements and cases of incapacity or ineligibility provided for by law, according to article 112 of the Electoral Code. Any transitional authority that wishes to run for office must simply meet the conditions set by law,” the commission added.