🔗 Share this article

This Sunday, the Central African Republic will undertake a crucial series of four votes, encompassing the presidency, national assembly, and municipal offices.

A Crowded Race for the Presidency

Seven candidates are competing for the top office, including ex-premiers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. The two were cleared to stand by the constitutional court after being initially barred. Dologuélé finished second in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra briefly served under the incumbent.

Challengers' Strategy and Public Discontent

The opposition hopes to tap into widespread discontent in a nation where violence remains a constant threat. More than half a million people are displaced within their own country, with a similar number living as exiles in bordering states.

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

The Incumbent's Path

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

After a chaotic transition period, his reputation for neutrality from the warring factions fueled his runoff win in 2016.

Security Concerns and Logistical Hurdles

Concerns persist that supply-chain issues and violence could mar the electoral process, especially in the countryside. The UN stabilization force, Minusca, is providing security and organizational aid that the state's crumbling infrastructure is unable to provide.

Further issues include the electoral roll being made available only digitally, a major hurdle in a nation with limited internet access. These irregularities have prompted an electoral boycott and could, as noted by analysts, "exclude many of the population."

Stakes of a Third Term

Many residents worry that another term for Touadéra—enabled by a 2023 constitutional referendum that abolished term limits and lengthened mandates—would entail greater influence for foreign actors.

The president has relied on the Russian mercenary group Wagner for his protection, and even after its founder's death, has resisted calls to fold its fighters into a successor entity. In contrast, Rwanda has taken a different approach, focusing on business interests within CAR.

Claims of National Disposal

Recent reports have claimed the government evicted its own soldiers from a internationally financed facility to make way for a foreign-run agricultural project. A critical editorial charged the leadership of being "intent on dispose of the country piece by piece."

Despite a newly signed agreement with armed factions offering hope of stabilization, the election moves forward under a shadow of uncertainty and geopolitical competition.