In Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), the nation’s constitutional court commenced hearings on Wednesday regarding a petition seeking to bar President Faustin Archange Touadera from contesting the upcoming December presidential election. The petition, lodged by the Observatory for Democratic Governance, a civil society organization, contends that Touadera fails to meet the constitutional prerequisites for presidential candidacy. Elysée Nguimalé, the group’s president, has raised concerns over the origin of Touadera’s name, asserting that it implies an ambiguous lineage. Nguimalé argued that the name ‘Touadera’ in the president’s native tongue translates to ‘a child abandoned by his maternal uncles,’ suggesting an unknown paternal lineage. This, he claims, violates Article 65 of the country’s Family Code, which mandates clear ancestry for presidential candidates. Territorial Administration Minister Bruno Yapandé dismissed the petition as an attempt to ‘sow confusion among the public.’ The court’s decision remains pending, with no clear timeline for a verdict. The controversy unfolds as Touadera seeks a third term, made possible by the abolition of term limits in 2023. The election is set against a backdrop of a lingering security crisis and Touadera’s efforts to secure Russian support. Meanwhile, opposition leader Anicet Georges Dologuélé faces potential statelessness after the government refused to issue him a passport. The final list of candidates for the December 28 election has yet to be released.
Court hears case to disqualify Central African Republic’s president from December election
