Chadian authorities announced on Sunday that ten candidates, including two fierce opponents of the military junta, would be forbidden from running in the May 6 presidential election.
The constitutional court ruled that the candidates’ applications, as well as those of opponents Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami and Rakhis Ahmat Saleh, were rejected due to “irregularities”.
Chad’s opposition and civil society groups say the elections will be taking place in a very difficult political context following the killing of opposition leader Yaya Dillo, who was the president of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders and Deby’s cousin.
Dillo was killed during an exchange of fire with security forces on February 28, according to Chad’s government. But opposition and civil society groups say Dillo was eliminated because he was widely viewed as a strong challenger to Deby.
The central African state’s constitutional council says campaigning for the first round of the presidential election begins April 14 and ends May 4.
