The publication of election results in the Central African Republic has been suspended following a strike by staff at the National Election Authority (ANE), adding fresh uncertainty to the country’s fragile political process.
According to several ANE employees, IT specialists at the institution’s data processing centre are refusing to release the results of the second round of municipal, regional and parliamentary elections held on 26 April.
The results had initially been expected on Monday but have been delayed over two months of unpaid salaries.
Staff say salary arrears affect all employees and, while delays in payment are common in the country’s struggling public sector, the current situation is unprecedented in scale.
The Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest nations, and strikes among civil servants — including teachers and administrative workers — have been frequent.
Candidates in limbo
The elections, part of a broader vote held on 28 December, were meant to restore a sense of normal political life after years of instability following the civil war in the 2010s.
Nearly 70 constituencies are affected by the delayed results, leaving candidates in limbo.
Among those awaiting the outcome is former prime minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele, a leading opposition figure and critic of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. Dologuele had challenged Touadera’s re-election, alleging widespread fraud.
In a separate development, Dologuele was prevented from leaving the country on Tuesday, according to his lawyer. He was stopped at Bangui airport while attempting to travel to Addis Ababa at the invitation of the African Union.
Authorities reportedly confiscated his diplomatic passport and informed him of a travel ban, though no official court order was presented.
Under the country’s 2023 constitution, the National Assembly is composed of 144 members serving seven-year terms. The ruling United Hearts Movement secured 50 seats in the first round of voting, with additional seats going to independents and other political groups.
The ongoing strike and political tensions risk further complicating the country’s efforts to stabilise its democratic institutions.
