Controversy, Confusion And Suspicion Over The Appointment Of A Leading Opposition Leader In Chad, Dr Succes Masra, As Prime Minister

Controversy, Confusion And Suspicion Over The Appointment Of A Leading Opposition Leader In Chad, Dr Succes Masra, As Prime Minister

Chad’s Military Leader, General Mahamat Derby Itno and his Military Council flagrantly violated the Constitution and took over power when his father, President Idris Derby Itno, died in April 2021

The young General and his Military Council promised to hand back power to civilian rule within 18 month. But after 18 months, the General manipulated and extended his stay in power by two years

Presidential election to return power to civilian rule in Chad is expected to hold in October 2024

The new PM, Succes Masra, fled from Chad in October 2022 and only returned recently following mediation by the President of DR Congo

There are fears that the appointment of Masra is a strategy by the Derby Itno Dynasty to either ruin his chances of becoming President, or to make him soften his strong stance against the dynasty

Late Chadian Leader, l Idris Derby Itno, used the strategy of appointing opposition figures as PM and to other posts, to weaken opposition leaders and the opposition in general

The appointment of the firebrand opposition leader in Chad, Dr Succes Masra, as the new Prime Minister of the country, has sparked controversy, confusion and suspicion. The appointment of Dr Succes Masra as the new Prime Minister of Chad was done on January 1, 2024 by the Military Leader of Chad, General Mahamat Derby Itno, who followed the next day with the appointments of a new Government, or better still, the appointment of members of the new Government.
It should be noted that Masra fled from Chad following a protest demonstration on October 20, 2022, that was violently suppressed by the regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno. The then civilian Prime Minister Salah Kebzabo, a journalist by training, told a blatant lie that the protest demonstration was an insurrection, and then accused the two main opposition leaders in Chad, Succes Masra and Yaya Diallo, of having organised an insurrection to overthrow the Government. The Prime Minister said judicial proceedings had been opened against the two opposition leaders.
Masra was forced to flee the country. He however returned to Chad late last year, following mediation by one of the Central African leaders, Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo. Chadian Military Leader, General Mahamat Derby Itno, signed an amnesty that took away the charges that the regime leveled against the two main opposition leaders, Masra and Diallo, and a number of other people. It is not known whether the decision by the Chadian Military Leader to appoint Dr Masra as Prime Minister, is a deal that was struck during the secret mediation that was carried out by President Tshisekedi which led to the safe return of Masra to Chad.

Dr Succes Masra Resigned From AfDB, To Return Home And Focus On Politics

Whatever the case, the decision by Dr Masra to accept his appointment as Prime Minister by General Mahamat Derby Itno, is definitely also a surprise to many political observers. Dr Success Masra was a senior official of the African Development Bank, who resigned from the bank a few years ago and returned to Chad. Though many people were surprised with his resignation from the high profile job, he said he wanted to focus on politics in his country, and that he returned home with a mission to liberate his people (the Chadian people), from the hands of the Idris Derby Itno Dynastic in Chad.
Masra quickly established himself as a firebrand opposition leader, and the ‘most violent’ critic and opponent of President Idris Derby Itno and his regime in Chad. Masra who created a political party known as ‘Transformateurs”, had a large following comprised mostly of Chadian youths. But today, Dr Masra has become the Prime Minister of Chad, appointed by General Mahamat Derby Itno, or better still, the Derby Itno Dynasty in Chad. Hmmmmm!

Strategy That Was Used By Former Chadian President To Weaken The Opposition

It should be noted that the former President of Chad, Idris Derby Itno, the father of the current Military Leader of Chad, General Mahamat Derby Itno, came to power in Chad in late 1990, when a rebel group that he headed stormed the Chadian Capital, Djamena, and overthrew the regime of another former rebel leader, Hisene Habre. The new strong man in Chad, Idris Derby Itno, who was a military officer, promised that the country will return to a civilian rule within a few yeas time. But what happened was that when it came to time to organize a presidential election and hand back the country to a civilian rule, President Idris Derby Itno transformed himself into a civilian, created his political party, and declared his candidature for the election. Of course, he won the election that he organised to win.
President Idris Derby Itno adopted a strategy to weaken opposition leaders during presidential elections. Most of the political figures he appointed over the years to the post of Prime Minister were key opposition figures. About two or three years to the next presidential election in Chad, President Derby Itno would appoint a key figure in the opposition to the post of Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will during his stay in office, see that his friends in the opposition also lick some honey. Few months to the presidential election, the Prime Minister would resign so as to run in the presidential election. Of course during the presidential election campaign, it would become difficult for the former Prime Minister, his party and opposition friends, to attack the incumbent, President Derby Itno, and his ruling party. The ruling party and its candidate would have an easy win in the elections.

Why Dr Masra Was Different

In 2016 for example, President Derby Itno appointed an opposition figure, Albert Pahimi Padacke as Prime Minister. In 2018 a new Constitution was adopted in Chad. That had to lead to a presidential election in 2020. So Padacke had to resign from the post of Prime Minister in that 2018, having been in office for two years. Of course Pacdacke became a weak presidential candidate. The new opposition strongman was Dr Succes Masra, who had resigned from his job at the African Development Bank, and return to Chad to concentrate on his political career. He did not have any stain like the other opposition leaders who had served in the Government of President Derby Itno, or benefit from the Government.
Dr Masra was a real torn in the fresh of President Derby Itno, and the regime used security forces and the administration to try to obstruct or even block the new political party, ‘Transformateurs’ from operating, including blocking Masra from being a presidential candidate. Of course President Idris Derby Itno won the presidential election that he had organised to win.

The Laying Of The Foundation Of The Idris Derby Itno Dynasty

It should be noted that during the long period of time that President Idris Derby Itno was in power, he laid a strong foundation for a Derby Itno Dynasty in Chad. President Idris Derby Itno’s children and family members occupied strategic positions in the military and the administration. Some were ambassadors to some of the countries that were considered as strategic partners of Chad. Some headed a number of strategic State corporations, and so on.
In the military for example, there were: General Mahamat Derby Itno aka Kaka, General Nassouri Derby Itno, General Ahmat Youssouf Mahamat Itno, General Omar Derby Itno, General Ousman Bahar Mahamat Itno, General Hasaan sendel Mahamat Itrno, General Sidick Timan Derby Itno, Colonel Kerim Itno, Colonel Daoud Sendel Mahamat Itno, Colonel Sougour Kerim Derby Itno. With all; these people placed in strategic positions in the Chadian Military, the hope of President Idris Derby Itno was probably that it would be difficult or even impossible for any group to organise a successful coup d’etat in Chad.
It should as well be noted that during the period of Idris Derby Itno as President of Chad, there were more than 50 Generals in the Chadian army. Chad was often involved in many wars. Besides the fight against rebel groups in Chad, the Chadian Government also often sent large number of Chadian troops to assist some friendly countries in Africa to fight terrorism. Worth noting that Chadian troops were also sent to the Far North Region of neighbouring Cameroon, to assist the Cameroonian military in the fight against the terrorist group, Bolo Haram ,that entered the region from neighbouring Nigeria.
Worthy of note, that though President Idris Derby Itno had turned into a civilian President, he operated more as military leader, and often visited Chadian troops on the frontline dressed in military uniform. President Derby Itno even raised himself to the highest rank in the military, Field Marshal, and thus was known as Field Marshal Idris Derby Itno.

Idris Derby Itno’s Son Succeeds Him As President of Chad

A real test for the foundation of the Derby Itno Dynasty laid in Chad came in April 2021 when President Idris Derby Itno, suddenly died in April 2021. The Field Marshal was allegedly killed during a visit to frontline in the war between Chadian troops and a rebel group commonly known by the French acronym, FACT, in the North of the country. The new Constitution of Chad that was adopted in 2018, stated that in case of a vacancy in the office of the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly (Parliament) would be the interim President until a new presidential election was organised within the time limit fixed by the Law.
But it turned out that the new Constitution of Chad, that was put in place, by the regime of President Idris Derby Itno in 2018, was just for window dressing. Before the dead of President Idris Derby Itno was even announced, a so called Transitional Military Council had already been created to run the country, with the then 37 year old son of the late President, General Mahamat Derby Itno alias Kaka, as Head. Thus the Transitional Military Council headed by General Mahamat Derby Itno, kicked aside or shelved the Constitution and took over power in Chad, following the dead of his father. French President, Emmanuel Macron, added to the controversy by clearly supporting the unconstitutional takeover of power in Chad by the son of the Late President Idris Derby Itno.

Promise To Hand Back Power To Civilian Rule In 18 Months

Meanwhile the Transitional Military Council headed by General Mahamat Derby Itno, promised the Chadian people as well as the African Union, to hand back power to a civilian rule in 18 months, after organizing democratic elections. So the understanding was that the Military Council will hand back power to civilian rule latest October 2022. The so called opposition figure, Albert Pahiki Padecke, who was Prime Minister of Chad under President Idris Derby from 2016 – 2018, was again appointed Prime Minister by General Mahamat Derby Itno. A civilian Prime Minister in a country that was being run by a Military Council!
Meanwhile the Military Council that had also promised to organised a National Dialogue, dragged on until after mid – 2022. It was however believed by the African Union that sent representatives to the National Dialogue, as well as by Chad’s opposition parties that were represented at the event, that the event would end with the announcement of the date for Municipal, Legislative and Presidential Elections. But they were to have their rude shock when towards the end of the event, a draft resolution instead stated that following the National Dialogue there would be another Transitional Period of two years. The Transitional Military Council was pretentiously to ‘give way’ to a Transitional Government, but with General Mahamat Derby Itno as President of the Transition. So power was now to be handed over to an elected Government in October 2024 instead of October 2022.
It was clear to the African Union as well as to the Chadian opposition, that General Mahamat Derby Itno, was scheming or manipulating to hang on to power. The African Union did not send representatives to the closing phase of the National Dialogue, and the Chadian opposition also boycotted it.

General Mahamat Derby Itno Sworn In As Transitional President

Meanwhile General Mahamat Derby Itno was sworn in as the so called President of the Transition in Chad on October 10, 2022. The African Union and the Chadian Opposition boycotted the event. The first Transitional Government under the Transitional Military Council, that had Albert Pahiki Padacke as Prime Minister, was dissolved. During the period of the first Transitional Government, General Mahamat Derby Itno was officially known as the Chairman of the Military Council.
Then after the National Dialogue and the two years of transition adopted by General Mahamat Derby Itno and his men, he became known as the Transitional President of Chad. He appointed a new Prime Minister of Chad in the person of Saleh Kebzabo, a journalist by training. So in October 2022 when General Mahamat Derby Itno was supposed to hand back power to a civilian rule as he promised to do in April 2021, he was instead sworn in as Transitional President for two more years, with elections postponed to October 2024. The Chadian opposition cried fowled, accusing General Mahamat Derby Itno of scheming to hang on in power.

BLACK THURDAY In Chad–Thursday, October 20, 2022

Meanwhile on Thursday, October20, 2022, that is 10 days after General Mahamat Derby Itno was sworn in as President of the Transition in Chad, the genuine opposition parties of Chad, precisely the ‘Transformateurs’ of Succes Masra and the ‘Parti Socialiste Sans Frontiere” of Yaya Dillo, organised a protest demonstration in the country, against the manipulation by General Mahamat Derby Itno, to hang on to power. But there was a heavy crack down by security forces, some of whom were dressed in civilian attires, Media reports talked of over 50 deaths and more than 300 persons injured. The opposition cried out that security forces including those that were in civilian attires, shot at peaceful demonstrators with live bullets, and that the more than 50 people who were killed were all shot by elements of the Security Forces. Worth noting, that one of persons who was killed was a journalist, Narcisse Oredje, who was simply out to do his job – to cover the demonstration. It should be noted as well that the Chadian opposition adopted the name BLACK THURSDAY for that fateful day of Thursday, October 20, 2022.
But Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo, whom as aforementioned is a journalist by training, told some fat lies when contacted by RFI. He claimed that the demonstration organised by the Chadian opposition was instead an insurrection. The Prime Chadian Prime Minister also alleged that many of the demonstrators carried arms, and accused the opposition of having organised an attempted coup d’etat. The Prime Minister disclosed that a judicial proceeding was being opened against two opposition leaders, Succes Masra and Yaya Dillo, whom he said organised the insurrection or attempted coup d’etat. It should be noted that following the May 20, 2022 public demonstration, the Chadian Government declared a curfew to run from 6 pm to 6 am in the capital, Djamena, as well as in Moundou, Doba, and Koumra, “till he return of order”.
Meanwhile Yaya Dillio and Dr Succes Masra dismissed the allegations made by Prime Minster Kebzabo as spurious. They said the peaceful demonstration was not in any way or form an insurrection, and that not one of the demonstrators carried arms or was armed. The opposition leaders disclosed that before that October 20, they had written to the Secretary General of the United Nations, the African Union and diplomatic missions in Chad, but regretted that they were all silent.

Dr Succes Masra Flees The Country

Meanwhile following the decision by the Chadian Government to arrest the two key opposition leaders, Succes Masra and Yaya Dillo, to put them on trial for purportedly organizing and insurrection, Dr Masra sneaked out of the country to avoid arrest. It is certain what Yaya Dillo on his part did, but it is very likely that he too fled the country.
The regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno is from all indications very intolerant to any protest demonstration or protest march against the regime. On May 8, 2023, students of ‘Lycee de la Liberte’ in Djamena staged a peaceful protest march. The messages on their placards showed that the students were protesting against Injustice, Artificial Fuel Shortage in the Country, Frequent Cuts in Water Supply and Electricity, as well as he High Cost of Living caused or blamed on Corruption of the Elite and Heavy Misappropriation and Embezzlement of Public Funds. Security forces applied a heavy hand to rapidly suppress the protest, choking the students with teargas.

Referendum Organised In Chad

Last December, President Mahamat Derby Itno’s regime organised a referendum for he Chadian people to approve the new Constitution of Chad. As expected, the new Constitution was validated by the Chadian people in the referendum. But the question is whether General Mahamat Derby Itno himself really cares about the Constitution of Chad, considering what happened in April 2021.
Meanwhile the holding of the referendum was an opportunity for the President of the Transitional Government in Chad, Mahamat Derby Itno to dissolve the Government that existed before the referendum, and appoint a new Government with Succes Masra as Prime Minister. Masra took over the post of Prime Minister from Saleh Kebzabo, who following the October 20, 2022 protest demonstration that the Government violently suppressed, accused Masra and Yaya Dillo of having organised an attempted coup d’etat, and issued all sorts of threats against them, forcing them to flee the country. Today Success Masra has been appointed Prime Minster of Chad to replace Kebzabo who has gone back to the quarters. This life!

_Masra Returns To Chad And Accept Post Of PM_

Meanwhile as was mentioned at the beginning of this article, Chadian opposition leader, Dr Succes Masra, returned to Chad late last year, following mediation by the President of DR Congo, Felix Tshisekedi. But given all the above, many people are thus surprised and even confused, that the key opposition figure in Chad, Dr Succes Masra, whom many Chadian youths have believed in, and whom many Chadians have thought would become the next President of Chad hopefully in October 2024, has accepted the appointment by General Mahamat Derby Itno of all, to be his Prime Minister. This has left many people confused. In this world never say, never. This has left many people confused.
However some political observers suspect that a secret deal was struck between General Mahamat Derby Itno and Dr Succes Masra during the mediation by the President of DR Congo, for Masra to return to Chad without problems. The President of the Transition, General Mahamat Derby Itno, made a new promise to the Chadian people while being sworn in on October 10, 2022, that democratic elections will be organised in October 2024 to hand back power to a civilian rule. If Succes Masra has to be candidate at the presidential election that is expected to hold in October 2024, he will have to leave the post of Prime Minister some months before the election,
That is why questions are being asked as to why Succes Masra could have accepted the post of Prime Minister, more so with less than 10 months to go to the presidential election in Chad. Or it is that he was hinted that General Mahamat will again postpone the elections? Or is it a strategy by the Derby Itno Dynasty in Chad to ruin Masra’s chance of becoming President? Or is it a strategy by the Derby Itno Dynasty to take Succes Masra out their way? There was a rumour at one time that the Derby Itno Dynasty was preparing the ground for a member of Idris Derby Itno family to take over as the next civilian president of Chad, when power will be handed back to civilian rule. The name of Zakaria Derby Itno, who is elder brother of the current military leader (President of Transition), General Mahamat Derby Itno, floated. It would be recalled that by the time their father, President Idris Derby, Itno died in April 2021, Zakaria Derby Itno was Chad’s Ambassador to the United Arabs Emirates. Whatever the case, it is a matter of see.