CAR Prepares for the Polls as President Pursues a Third Term

This Sunday, the Central African Republic will hold a pivotal quadruple election, including the presidency, national assembly, and municipal seats.

A Crowded Presidential Field

Seven candidates are competing for the presidency, among them former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. Both men were given approval to stand by the high court after initial bans. Dologuélé finished second in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra had a short tenure under the incumbent.

Opposition Hopes and Public Discontent

The opposition aims to capitalize on widespread discontent in a country where conflict remains a daily reality. Over half a million people are internally displaced, with a comparable figure living as refugees in neighbouring countries.

"This represents an opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable recovery of the nation," noted a UN regional official, though he added that challenges persist.

Touadéra's Expected Victory

Despite the challenges, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a former mathematics professor, is widely expected to extend his run. He first entered politics in 2008 when appointed prime minister, serving until a insurgent alliance toppled the government in 2013, triggering a civil war.

After a chaotic transition period, his perceived impartiality from the warring factions fueled his second-round victory in 2016.

Election Risks and Voting Challenges

Concerns persist that supply-chain issues and insecurity could disrupt the vote, especially in the countryside. The UN peacekeeping mission, Minusca, is providing security and logistical support that the country's weak systems is unable to provide.

Additional problems include the voter list being made available only digitally, a major hurdle in a country with limited internet access. These irregularities have led to an opposition boycott and could, according to observers, "disenfranchise large segments of the electorate."

Stakes of a Third Term

Many residents worry that another term for Touadéra—enabled by a 2023 constitutional referendum that scrapped term limits and extended mandates—would mean expanded sway for foreign actors.

The president has relied on the private military group Wagner for personal security, and despite its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to integrate its fighters into a new structure. In contrast, Rwanda has pursued a different approach, focusing on business ventures within CAR.

Claims of National Disposal

Allegations have claimed the administration removed its own soldiers from a internationally financed facility to make way for a Rwandan livestock operation. A critical editorial charged the leadership of being "determined to sell off the country piece by piece."

Amid a recent peace accord with rebel groups offering hope of stabilization, the vote moves forward under a cloud of uncertainty and external rivalry.