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The ruling party crippled an already weak opposition by banning public protest and media debate and side-lining competitors.
Chadians went to the polls on 11 April for the sixth presidential election since a multiparty system was introduced in 1990. President Idriss Déby Itno, who has been in power for 31 years, ran for a sixth term. The results are expected on 25 April, but current insecurity in the country may extend this deadline.
The pre-election period was marred by political tension and the exclusion and defection of several opposition leaders from the process â all of which raise doubts about whether much-needed political and social dialogue will now be possible.
Chad s turbulent presidential polls put democracy on
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Chad: Irked opposition exits from presidential polls
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As Chad waits for the results of Sunday s presidential election, the African Union said the vote was peaceful amid calls for a boycott by the opposition.
Incumbent President Idriss Deby is expected to extend his 30-year rule in the seven-candidate race, facing no major rivals and a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or violently dispersed.
Despite an Africanews correspondent reporting polling stations were quiet in the capital N djamena, the ruling party said voter turnout was high.
Voter turnout has yet to be announced by the electoral body. All over the country, since dawn, voters headed en masse to the various polling stations to exercise their first democratic right, said Mahamat Zen Bada Abbas, General Secretary, Patriotic Salvation Movement.
2021-04-11 22:30:41 GMT2021-04-12 06:30:41(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
N DJAMENA, April 11 (Xinhua) Chad kicked off its presidential election on Sunday with people in the central African country queuing up to cast their votes.
A total of seven candidates, including incumbent President Idriss Deby Itno, are vying for the presidency for the next six years. One of Deby s most important challengers is former Prime Minister Pahimi Padacket Albert.
During his final campaign rally held Friday in capital N Djamena, Deby called on his supportors to vote and assured them he would win.
In early March, three opposition candidates announced their withdrawal from the race, including Saleh Kebzabo, heavyweight of the opposition who wants to boycott the election. Kebzabo came second in the 2016 presidential election.