Chad elections 'already rigged'
2006-05-02 08:59
N'Djamena - President Idriss Deby is expected to win re-election in polls on Wednesday. But, it may not seem like much of a victory.
Many of the fellow tribesman who once supported him had taken up arms with the aim of toppling him, and most opposition political parties were boycotting Wednesday's election, claiming that it was already rigged.
Deby also lost some support among donors after he took on the World Bank in a four-month dispute over how the central African nation's oil revenues were used.
The confrontation appeared closer to a resolution after the two sides reached an interim deal last week under which the World Bank would gradually release $125m in oil revenues it froze after Chad changed key provisions of its World Bank-backed oil programme.
Elections 'neither free nor fair'
In return for the funds' release, Chad must pass a new budget law by July, ensuring that it did not use oil money for defence and should begin to reform the way public money was managed, which included fighting graft.
Deby, who seized power by force in 1990, won votes in 1996 and 2001 that critics said were neither free nor fair.
Last year, he pushed for a national referendum to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. The amendment passed after an opposition boycott.
The election campaign had been largely lackluster. In addition to Deby, the field included three of his allies and a minor opposition leader.
Deby defends his 16-year tenure
About 5.8 million people in this country of almost 10 million were registered to cast ballots at about 11 800 polling stations.
It was only in the past week that the campaign picked up, with Deby flying to key towns in southern and eastern Chad over two days. More banners, billboards and posters appeared in N'djamena.
Wrapping up his campaign on Sunday, Deby defended his 16-year tenure, saying Chad had made economic and social strides and he had allowed democracy to take root in the country.
He told a largely young crowd of thousands at the N'djamena's football stadium that Chad had seen its resources increase since becoming an oil producing country in 2003.
Deby 'railed against Sudan'
Deby said: "I promise you our country will become a champion."
There was heavy security at the venue, with scores of members of the presidential guard, some with rocket launchers. There was an equally large contingent of riot police and regular soldiers.
Deby also railed against Sudan, something he had done since rebels who had been fighting in eastern Chad attacked N'djamena, about 1 000km from their bases on April 13 in a failed bid to oust him.
Deby, who himself came to power with Sudan's help, said the rebels were mercenaries hired by Sudan to destabilise the central Africa region, a charge Sudan denied.
Deby repeatedly pointed the finger at Sudan, but some of the leading insurgents were not only Chadian, they were family.
- AP