Leader of the Chadian opposition has said that participating in the December elections ”is like taking an anesthetic that gives the illusion of progress.”
Succes Masra confirmed the non participation of “Les Transformateurs” in the legislative polls scheduled for December 29th this year.
On the occasion of the second anniversary of the deadly demonstrations of October 20, Masra, president of Les Transformateurs, delivered a critical speech on the current political climate in Chad.
Referring to the legislative elections, he made clear his party’s position on what he described as one-sided electoralism.
In his speech, Masra referred to the events of April 2021, marked by the seizure of power by General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno following the death of his father, Marshal Idriss Déby Itno, in the north of the country, pointing out that the regime in power for decades had rigged the constitution and the electoral laws in its favour.
He recalled that his party had asked for the elections to be postponed to allow for an inclusive dialogue.
According to him, this request was ignored, leading to a political situation that drove former President Idriss Déby to his death.
“The same actors who said that the laws were perfect are now saying that everything needs to be redrafted,” he stressed.
Succès Masra also denounced the ruling coalition, describing it as a mere continuation of the previous regime. He claimed that this coalition fabricates an opposition in order to maintain its control over the political process.
Despite the party’s efforts to engage in genuine dialogue, Masra stated that no satisfactory response had been received from the incumbent authorities. He therefore concluded that participating in the parliamentary elections under the current conditions would amount to “serving as a guarantor for the installation of an apartheid-style regime,” insisting that the results were already foregone conclusions.
“Participating in these elections is like taking a narcotic that gives the illusion of progress,” he said.
He made it clear, however, that the Transformers were not boycotting the elections, but refusing to participate in a sham of democracy. “We’re not the ones boycotting the elections; we’re being asked to support electoralism, not democracy. There’s a difference between the two,” he said.
Succès Masra also criticized the international community for its silence on the electoral practices in Chad, in particular the contradiction in its demands for electoral transparency, comparing the situation to what obtains in Venezuela.
The Transformateurs leader concluded that under these conditions, it was impossible for his party to take part in elections whose outcome seemed to be predetermined.
Succès Masra was the runner-up in the May 6 presidential election, which Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno won.
