CAR approves new constitution, as opposition slams Touadera for seeking to be ‘president for life’

Voters in the perennially restive Central African Republic (CAR) overwhelmingly approved a controversial draft constitution that could see President Faustin Archange Touadera seek a third, longer term in office.

The national poll body said Monday (7 August) the constitutional amendments which remove the two-term limit and extend the term from five to seven years — thus paving the way for Touadera to seek a third term as president — were approved by 95.27%. The referendum was boycotted by civil rights groups and the main opposition, who decried the lack of an updated electoral register. The poll was also slammed because it took place without the participation of the main opposition parties, civil society organizations or the armed rebel groups. Opposition parties blasted what they said were outdated electoral registers, doubting the vote’s independence.

One of the poorest and most troubled countries in the world, the landlocked nation has been wracked by conflict and political turmoil for most of its history after independence from France in 1960. Touadera’s rivals accuse Touadera of seeking to remain “president for life” — under the increasingly visible protection of private Russian mercenary group Wagner, which first deployed to the CAR in 2018.

“It’s a comedy,” said Crepin Mboli-Goumba, coordinator of the BRDC opposition coalition. “We’ve all seen that people didn’t go out to vote and it doesn’t reflect the will of the Central African people.” These “provisional” results are yet to be ratified by the constitutional court, which is scheduled to publish the definitive outcome on 27 August.