May 6, 2024 Presidential Election In Chad: PART 3 – The Election Was Designed To Consolidate The IDRIS DERBY ITNO DYNASTY

 And Just Like His Father, Field Marshal Idris Derby Itno, Did In 90s, GENERAL MAHAMAT DERBY ITNO, Has Hung On To Power As The New ‘Civilian President’ Of Chad

The former President of Chad, Field Marshal Idris Derby Itno, the father of the current leader of Chad, came to power in late 1990, when a rebel group that he headed stormed the Chadian Capital, Djamena, and overthrew the Government 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 would be returned 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, 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 his regime organised for him to win.

Along the line, President Idris Derby Itno adopted a strategy to weaken the ‘hungry’ opposition leaders during presidential elections. About three years to the next presidential election in Chad, President Idris Derby Itno would appoint a key figure in the country’s opposition to the post of Prime Minister or another top post in the country. The Prime Minister will during his stay in office, see that some of his friends in the opposition also “lick some honey”. About a year to the presidential election, the Prime Minister would resign so as to run in the election. But then during the presidential election campaign, it would become difficult for the former Prime Minister, his party and opposition friends, to attack the bad governance of the incumbent, President Idris Derby Itno, and his ruling party. The ruling party and its candidate would then have an easy win or easy rigging of the election.

In 2016 for example, President Derby Itno appointed a key 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 later had to resign from the post of Prime Minister. Of course Pacdacke became a weak presidential candidate.

Why Dr Succes Masra Was Different

The new opposition strongman in Chad became Dr Assyoncar Succes Masra, popularly known in the country simply as Succes Masra. He resigned from his job at the African Development Bank, and returned to Chad to concentrate on his political career. Upon his return to  Chad, Masra created a new  political party of the opposition known as ‘TRANSFORMATEURS’, which was more of a political movement, and attracted a  lot of Chadian youths in particular. Masra was relatively new in Chadian politics and thus did not have stains like the other opposition leaders who had either served in the Government of President Idris Derby Itno, or benefit from the Government in another way.

Dr Masra  rapidly became a real torn in the flesh 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. Masra was even blocked from being a presidential candidate in 2020, which was supposed to be his first election.  Of course President Idris Derby Itno won the presidential election that his regime had organised for him 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 (1990 – 2021), he laid a strong foundation for the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty in Chad.  President Idris Derby Itno’s children and family members were appointed to occupy strategic positions in the military and the administration. Some were also in the diplomatic missions as ambassadors to some of the countries that were strategic partners of Chad. Some headed a number of strategic State corporations, financial institutions in which the State was a major partner, and so on.  Some of President Idris Derby Itno’s children, like the youthful General Mahamat Derby Itno alia Kaka, occupied strategic positions in the military and Stare security service. With all these people placed in strategic positions in the Chadian Military and State Security Service, the hope of President Idris Derby Itno was also 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 dozens of 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 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 Cameroon, to assist the Cameroonian military in the fight against the terrorist group, Bolo Haram, that entered the region or Cameroon from neighbouring Nigeria.

Worthy of note also that though President Idris Derby Itno was said to had become a civilian President, he operated more as military leader, and often visited Chadian troops on the frontlines dressed in military uniform.  President Derby Itno even while claiming to be a ‘civilian’ President, raised himself to the highest rank in the military, Field Marshal, and thus became 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 Idris Derby Itno Dynasty laid in Chad came when President Idris Derby Itno suddenly died in April 2021. The Field Marshal was allegedly killed during a visit to the 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 a 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 officially announced, a 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 the Chairman.  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. Government and Parliament were dissolved.

Double Standard By French President And African Union

French President, Emmanuel Macron, added to the controversy by openly supporting the unconstitutional – takeover of power in Chad by the son of the Late President Idris Derby Itno.  The French President was the only Western leader that travelled to Djamena, Chad for the funeral of late President Idris Derby Itno that was organised by the Transitional Military Council. President Macron further raised eyebrows by sitting next to the head of  the Military Junta, General Mahamat Derby Itno, at the occasion. It was a clear exhibition of Double Standard by the French President. The African Union also looked weak in the situation, and as well exhibited double standard as well. The situation was seemingly made complicated for the African Union by the personal interest or manipulation of the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mhahamat. He is not only from Chad, but had also served in the Government of President Idris Derby Itno as Foreign Minister. In fact it was the Chadian Government of Idris Derby Itno that led the lobby for Faki Mahamat to get the high office in the African Union. The African Union thus failed to issue an ultimatum to the Transitional Military Council in Chad to hand  back power to a civilian rule immediately, or else  Chad would be sanctioned with a suspension from the Union. Rather the African Union ignominiously accepted the fake promise of General Mahamat Derby Itno and his Military Junta, that they would hand back power to a civilian rule in 18 months.

Promise To Hand Back Power To Civilian Rule In 18 Months

  As aforementioned, 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 would 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   when the Military Council took power in April 2021. A civilian Prime Minister in a country that was being run by a Military Council!

Controversial End Of National Dialogue In Chad

Meanwhile, the Transitional Military Council, that had also promised to organise a National Dialogue in Chad, 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 also 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 emerged saying that following the National Dialogue, there would be another Transitional Period of two years in Chad. The Transitional Military Council was pretentiously to ‘give way’ to a Government of Transition. Worst still, the Chairman of the Transitional Military Council, General Mahamat Derby Itno, was the same person who became the President of the Transition. He made a new promise that power would be handed back to a democratically elected civilian President in 2024.

But 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 in Chad, and the Chadian opposition also boycotted it.

General Mahamat Derby Itno Sworn In As President Of Transition  

Meanwhile General Mahamat Derby Itno was sworn in as the President of the Transition in Chad on October 10, 2022.  The African Union and the Chadian Opposition boycotted the event. The government under the Transitional Military Council that had Albert Pahiki Padacke as Prime Minister was dissolved. It would be recalled that during the period of the Transitional Military Council, General Mahamat Derby Itno was officially known as the Chairman of the Military Council. Then after the National Dialogue, came period of the two years of transition imposed by General Mahamat Derby Itno and his men. He became known as the President of the Transition in Chad. He appointed a new Prime Minister 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 President of Transition for two more years, with elections postponed to 2024. The Chadian opposition cried fowled, accusing General Mahamat Derby Itno of scheming to hang on in power like his father.

BLACK THURDAY In Chad – Thursday, October 20, 2022

Meanwhile on Thursday, October20, 2022, which was 10 days after General Mahamat Derby Itno was sworn in as President of the Transition in Chad, the genuine opposition parties of Chad, especially the ‘Transformateurs’ of Succes Masra and ‘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, in memory of the martyrs of democracy, justice, human rights and freedom.

Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo, who 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 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 insisted that the peaceful demonstration was not in any way or form an insurrection, and that not one of the demonstrators was armed. Also, 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 to alert or remind them of the very disturbing situation in Chad, but regretted that they all stayed mute.

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 an insurrection, Masra sneaked out of the country to avoid arrest. It is not certain whether Yaya Dillo stayed in the country or also fled, but what is certain is that he went underground.

The regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno was from all indications very intolerant to any protest demonstration against the regime. On May 8, 2023, students of ‘Lycee de la Liberte’ in Djamena for example 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 the 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, choked the students with teargas.

Referendum Organised In Chad

Meanwhile in December 2023, President Mahamat Derby Itno’s supposed Government of Transition, 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 a referendum. But the question in the minds of political observers remained as to whether General Mahamat Derby Itno himself really cared about the Constitution of Chad, considering what happened in April 2021 after the death of his father.  Meanwhile the holding of the referendum was also an opportunity for the President of the Transition in Chad, General Mahamat Derby Itno, to dissolve the government that existed before the referendum, and appoint a new Government. It should also be noted that during campaigns for the referendum, the President of the Transition, General Mahamat Drrby Itno, reassured Chadians that democratic elections would be organised in 2024 for the return of power to civilian rule.

Masra Returns To Chad, And Accepts Post Of PM            

Meanwhile, Chadian opposition leader, Dr Succes Masra, returned to Chad late last year, following mediation by the President of DR Congo, Felix Tshisekedi. To the surprise and even the embarrassment of many Chadians, the President of the Transition in Chad, General Mahamat Derby Itno, on January 1, 2024 appointed Dr Succes Masra as the new Prime Minister of the country.

Perhaps even more embarrassing to many, was the fact that Succes Masra that had established a reputation in Chad as a firebrand opposition leader against the Derby Itno Dynasty accepted the appointment.  Many people were thus very disappointed with the key opposition figure in Chad, Dr Succes Masra, whom many Chadian youths believed in. Many Chadians had thought that Masra would become the next President of Chad hopefully in 2024, when the regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno had promised to finally hand power back to civilian rule. Many Chadians were shocked tha Dr Succes Masra  of all had accepted an appointment by General Mahamat Derrby Itno to be Prime Minister. This reminded people of the saying that never say, never, especially when it concerns an African politician. Meanwhile some political observers suspected that the appointment of Success Masra as Prime Minister as well as his acceptance of the appointment were part of a secret deal that was struck between him and General Mahamat Derby Itno , during the mediation by the President of DR Congo for Masra to return to Chad without problems.

Whatever the case, it was interesting to note that Dr Succes 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 Masra to flee the country. On January 1, 2024 Success Masra was appointed Prime Minster of Chad to replace Kebzabo. This life! Again, never say never.

Opposition Leader Assassinated

With Succes Masra having joined the regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno as Prime Minister, Yaya Dillo, the National President of ‘Parti Socialiste Sans Frontiere’, who was co – opposition leader with Masra, indisputably became Chad’s main opposition leader. Ahead of  the May 6, 2024 Presidential Election, Yaya Dillo was in February assassinated  by ‘unknown gunmen’ at his party headquarters in broad daylight in Chad’s capital, Djamena.  His supporters accused the regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno, of the assassination. But as expected, the regime rejected the accusation, and said the matter was under investigation.  Up till date the regime continues to claim that the assassination of Yaya Dillo is still under investigation.

Whatever the case, when Succes Masra became Prime Minister, and Yaya Dillo was assassinated, Chad’s opposition was left without a real leader ahead of the May 6 presidential election. Even then, the Constitutional Council put in place by the President of the Transition, General Mahamat Derby Itno, and over which he reportedly had much influence, on March 25, 2024 disqualified almost all opposition candidates for the May 6 presidential election. The Chadian opposition was in reality thus pushed away ahead of the May 6 presidential election, and thus had no real presence or participation in the election proper on May 6.  So all possible or even suspected obstacles on the way of the assumed leader of the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty to became the next President of Chad, were crushed. It should be noted that Chad’s Strongman, General Mahamat Derby Itno, also retired some 50 Generals in Chad.  The country had dozens of Generals during the reign of his father, especially as the country was involved in many war fronts both in the country and beyond.

Rumour On Possible Candidature Of Derby Itno Dynasty

The appointment of Succes Masra as Prime Minister of Chad was also seen by quite a number of Chadian intellectuals as a strategy by the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty to ruin his chances of becoming President. They thus saw the appointment as a strategy by the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty to take Succes Masra out of their way ahead of the presidential election, whose date had by the time he was appointment on January 1,  2024, not yet been announced.  It should be noted that a rumour was making its rounds in some circles in Chad, that the Derby Itno Dynasty was preparing the ground for a member of the family to take over as the next civilian president of Chad, when power would have to be handed back to civilian rule by General Mahamat Derby Itno. The name of Zakaria Derby Itno, who is the elder brother of General Mahamat Derby Itno, floated as the person that was being prepared to be the next President of Chad.  It would be recalled that by the time President Idris Derby Itno died in April 2021, his son, Zakaria Derby Itno, was Chad’s Ambassador to the United Arabs Emirates.

President Of Transition, General Mahamat Derby Itno, Succeeds Himself

But it turned out early this year that the President of the Transition in Chad, General Mahamat Derby Itno, having tasted power, was not willing to leave it, at least not so soon. And so he decided to follow his late father’s play book, and played the same game that the father played in the 1990s. It would be recalled after promising to hand back power to civilian rule when he led a rebel group that overthrew the Government of Hisene Habre in late 1990, President Idris Derby Itno later transformed himself into a civilian presidential candidate, and of course won the election his regime organised to purportedly hand back power to civilian rule.

General Mahamat Derby Itno, as President of the Transition in Chad could not in a normal situation become a candidate in the presidential election, to hand back power to civilian rule. Even if the President of a Government of Transition is a civilian, he cannot in a normal situation be a candidate in the presidential election. So General Mahamat  Derby Itno and his regime flagrantly violated international democratic rules by declaring his candidature for the May 6, 2024 Presidential Election in Chad, meant to hand back power to civilian rule. With firm control over the Chadian military and security services, the opposition could not stop General Mahamat Derby Itno.

Constitutional Council And Electoral Council

Suffice to also say that with members of the election organizing body in Chad, ‘L’ Agence Nationale des Gestion des Election du Tchad’ (National Agency for the Management of Elections in Chad), and the Constitutional Council that General Mahamat Derby Itno appointed and placed under his beck and call, his candidature for the May 6, 2024 Presidential Election was validated, and he was also without surprise officially declared the winner of the election. In the proclamation of the official result of the May 6, 2024 Presidential Election, General Mahamat was said to have won the election in the first round by 61.03 %.  On May 23, 2024, the 40 year old General Mahamat Derby Itno, was sworn – in as the 5^th President of the Republic of Chad.

Consolidation Of Idris Derby Itno Dynasty

And so the IDRIS DERBY ITNO DYNASTY has been consolidated in Chad. As aforementioned, General Mahamat Derby Itno has for sometimes now taken the full names of his late father and former President of Chad, Idris Derby Itno.  As was seen during the inaugural on May 23, he is now been officially called MAHAMAT IDRIS DERBY ITNO instead of MAHAMAT DERBY ITNO.  This is certainly not for nothing.

Meanwhile the new Constitution of Chad initiated by the regime of General Mahamat Derby Itno, limits the term of the presidential mandate to a maximum of two terms, and the duration of a mandate is 5 years. This means that in principle General Mahamat Derby Itno who is barely 40 years old by now, will leave power in 2034, if he serves the maximum of two terms. By then he will be 50 years old, while the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty which is today 34 years old, will be 44 years old in power. But as THE MENTOR mentioned earlier, General Mahamat Derby Itno has proven that he really has no respect for the Constitution of Chad. Even though the new Constitution of Chad is the initiative of his regime, it would not be surprisingly that he will later on scrap the limitation of the presidential mandate.

Gov’ts Of Other Countries In The Sub –region, Have Also Not Embraced Democracy

President Mahamat Derrby Itno might in fact be later also influenced or encourage to scrap the limitation to the mandate of the President of the Republic of Chad, by the fact that as many as four of the six countries of the Central African Sub –region which include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Republic (Congo Brazzaville), have no limitation in the mandate of the President of the Republic. The governments of all these four countries have been ruthlessly resisting pressure to embrace democracy. As for Gabon, there is uncertainty as the country is presently under a Government of Transition, and a new Constitution is expected.

Meanwhile another possibility will be that in 2034, another member of late President Idris Derby Itno family, could be designated as the presidential candidate of the Derby Itno Dynasty, to takeover power from General Mahamat Derby Itno, if he decides or agree to quit. So from the look of things, the Idris Derby Itno Dynasty is well installed to live for several years in neighbouring Chad. But then we should not forget what happened to the Omar Bongo Ondimba Dynasty in neighbouring Gabon on August 30, 2023.  It was a member of the Omar Bongo family, Brigadier General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema (cousin of ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba), that led the coup d’etat that took place in Gabon on August 30, 2023, to hopefully put an end to the Omar Bongo Ondimba Dynasty. For one thing, anything with a beginning must have an end, no matter how long it last.