President Faustin Archange Touadéra has secured a third term in office following last month’s general elections in the Central African Republic, according to provisional results released by the country’s electoral authority.
The outcome was on the heels of a disputed political process that saw the main opposition coalition stay away from the polls. The group boycotted the election after a constitutional referendum scrapped presidential term limits, a move critics say tilted the political playing field in favour of the incumbent.
Touadéra, 68, contested the presidency alongside six other candidates. However, the absence of the major opposition bloc significantly shaped the race, with its leaders arguing that the country was operating in what they described as an “unequal political environment.”
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Provisional figures published late Monday show Touadéra winning 76.15% of the vote. His closest challenger, former prime minister Anicet Georges Dologuélé, placed second with 14.66%, AP reported. Dologuélé has rejected the outcome and on Friday declared himself the rightful winner, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election.
At least two opposition candidates have formally challenged the results, accusing the National Elections Authority of malpractice and pointing to what they claim was widespread fraud during voting and collation.
The elections were unprecedented in scope. About 2.4 million citizens were registered to take part in a nationwide vote that combined presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal elections into a single process.
Political analysts say the landslide result reflects Touadéra’s growing grip on state institutions, a consolidation of power that has unfolded over several years.
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The vote took place in a country still shaped by years of instability. The Central African Republic has struggled with conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebel groups overthrew then-President François Bozizé. Although a 2019 peace agreement between the government and 14 armed groups helped reduce violence, six of those factions later pulled out of the deal.
Security remains a sensitive issue. The country was among the first in Africa where Wagner, the Russian mercenary group, established a presence. Wagner has played a key role in providing security for Touadéra, but relations with Russia have reportedly cooled after Russia pushed for Wagner to be replaced by the state-controlled African Corps.
Despite a relative easing of the security crisis, safety concerns featured prominently in the election. At the same time, the United Nations peacekeeping mission MINUSCA, deployed in the country since 2014, is preparing for a drawdown as it struggles with funding shortfalls.
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