Chad: tense atmosphere after first presidential election in the African Sahel –

In Chad, a tense atmosphere enveloped the capital as polls closed and vote counting began, marking the first presidential election in the African Sahel since a series of coups d’état.

Dozens of security forces were deployed to N’Djamena, accompanied by armored vehicles, while soldiers and riot police patrolled the southern neighborhoods, as reported by Reuters.

Silence dominated the streets that would normally be abuzz in the final hours of voting. In Moundou, the country’s second-largest city, a voter was fatally shot when gunmen opened fire at a polling place, local media reported.

Meanwhile, nomads, representing around 7% of the population, faced frustrations due to logistical problems, preventing them from voting early as planned.

Analysts speculate that President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who took power following the death of his father in April 2021, has a clear advantage, although his main challenger, former Prime Minister Succes Masra, managed to draw impressive crowds during the campaign.

The election pits Deby against Masra, as well as former prime minister Albert Pahimi Padacke and seven other candidates.

The tense political climate was intensified by the murder of Yaya Dillo, an opposition politician who planned to run against Deby, in N’Djamena in February, on the day the election date was announced. While some opposition members and civil society groups opted for a boycott, citing concerns about possible electoral fraud, it raised fears of potential violence.