Central African Republic is currently conducting a constitutional referendum, scheduled on July 30. If passed, the referendum would eliminate the presidential term limit, paving the way for President Faustin-Archange Touadera to run for a third term in 2025.
President Touadera was initially elected in 2016 for a five-year term and secured re-election in 2020, marking what was believed to be his final term in office. However, the proposed new constitution aims to reset the term limit, allowing him to seek a fresh seven-year mandate, with no restrictions on the number of terms for any future president.
Despite the referendum, there is opposition from political parties and civil society groups, who call for a boycott of the vote, asserting that it is designed to consolidate Touadera’s power indefinitely.
Early voter turnout at a polling station in a suburb of the capital, Bangui, was reportedly low, with only around two dozen voters in the queue.
The Central African Republic, a resource-rich but impoverished nation, has faced persistent instability, including coups and rebellions, since gaining independence from France in 1960. Touadera, a mathematician, has struggled to quell rebel groups that have controlled parts of the country since the ousting of former President Francois Bozize in 2013.
To address the rebel threat, Touadera sought assistance from Russia in 2018, leading to the deployment of over 1,500 troops, including Russian private military contractors from the Wagner Group, alongside the national army.
The proposed changes in the new constitution would not only remove checks on the executive power but also allow Central Africans with dual nationalities to vote and eliminate the requirement for legislative debates on executive decisions.
Critics, including the International Crisis Group, argue that the proposed constitution reflects an authoritarian drift in the Central African Republic, potentially restricting democratic participation and further entrenching the ruling party’s dominance.
The country has a history of intercommunal fighting, and threats of violence from rebel groups have hampered voter turnout in previous elections. Touadera’s government has relied on support from UN peacekeepers, Rwandan soldiers, and Russian mercenaries to protect the capital from rebel incursions.
The opposition groups accuse the ruling party of providing the draft of the new constitution too late for people to make informed decisions, raising concerns about transparency and inclusivity.
Preliminary results of the referendum are expected to be announced in about a week, with the constitutional court finalizing the results later in August.
The Central African Republic faces significant challenges, characterized by weak institutions, limited access to basic services, inadequate infrastructure, widespread gender-based violence, and high levels of poverty. The country ranks poorly in human capital and development indices, with a large portion of the population living below the international poverty line.
The nation’s fragile state is attributed to various factors, including social divisions, political power concentration, regional disparities, mismanagement of natural resources by the elite, and ongoing insecurity linked to regional conflicts.
What are his specific plans in the government once again? Africa seems burdened with leaders who show little respect for the law and constitution, attempting to bend it to their will. Obasanjo’s similar attempt in Nigeria was promptly rejected. It’s crucial for African citizens to become more aware and stand up against such autocratic leaders.
The situation in the Central African Republic underscores the importance of informed civic participation, transparency, and accountability in shaping the country’s future. It calls for active engagement by citizens to address pressing issues and build a stable and prosperous nation.
