President Faustin Archange Touadéra has won a third term in office in the Central African Republic after provisional election results showed him securing an overwhelming majority in last month’s presidential poll.
The country’s election authority announced late Monday that Touadéra won 76 per cent of the vote in the December 28 election, a contest largely boycotted by the main opposition coalition, which raised concerns about the credibility of the process.
The 68-year-old leader, a former mathematics professor, was widely expected to retain power after opposition parties under the BRDC coalition declined to participate, arguing that the election environment was unfair and skewed in favour of the incumbent. The government has rejected those claims.
Touadéra campaigned on his security record in the conflict-ravaged nation, which has faced recurring violence since a rebel coalition seized power in 2013. In response to the instability, his administration enlisted military support from Russian mercenaries and Rwandan troops, a move that has reshaped the country’s security architecture.
His continued grip on power has attracted criticism following the adoption of a new constitution in 2023, which abolished presidential term limits and cleared the way for him to seek re-election.
More than 2.4 million voters were registered for the general election. Election observers said the vote was largely peaceful, although it was marred by delays linked to the late delivery of voting materials and persistent problems with the voters’ register.
According to the provisional results, former prime minister Anicet Georges Dologuélé placed second with 15 per cent of the vote, while another former prime minister, Henri Marie Dondra, garnered about 3 per cent. Both candidates have rejected the outcome and called for the election to be annulled, alleging widespread irregularities.
Dologuélé accused the authorities of carrying out what he described as a “methodical attempt to manipulate” the results, an allegation the government has denied.
The Constitutional Court has until January 20 to review any legal challenges and formally declare the final results.
Despite its rich natural resources, including diamonds and uranium, the Central African Republic remains one of Africa’s poorest and most fragile states. The United Nations estimates that roughly half of the population depends on humanitarian assistance.
The country has struggled to regain stability since the 2013 uprising that toppled then president François Bozizé. Although a 2019 peace agreement between the government and 14 armed groups reduced violence, several factions later withdrew from the deal.
Analysts say Touadéra’s re-election is likely to further strengthen Russia’s influence in the country. Moscow has provided security assistance in exchange for access to valuable resources such as gold and diamonds, with the Central African Republic among the first African countries to host the Wagner Group in a security role.
