🔗 Share this article Central African Republic Prepares for the Ballot Box as President Pursues a Third Term This Sunday, the nation of CAR will undertake a pivotal quadruple election, including the presidential race, national assembly, and local positions. A Crowded Race for the Presidency Seven candidates are competing for the top office, among them ex-premiers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. The two were given approval to stand by the constitutional court after initial bans. Dologuélé finished second in the last two elections, while Dondra had a short tenure under the incumbent. Challengers' Strategy and Voter Frustrations The challengers aims to tap into widespread frustration in a country where violence remains a constant threat. Over half a million people are internally displaced, with a comparable figure living as refugees in neighbouring countries. "This represents an opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable recovery of the nation," said a UN regional official, adding that obstacles remain. Touadéra's Expected Victory Despite the competition, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a one-time academic, is widely expected to secure another term. He first entered politics in 2008 when appointed prime minister, serving until a insurgent alliance toppled the government in 2013, triggering a sectarian conflict. After a chaotic three-year interim, his reputation for impartiality from the main militias fueled his runoff win in 2016. Election Risks and Logistical Hurdles Concerns persist that supply-chain issues and violence could mar the vote, especially in rural areas. The UN stabilization force, Minusca, is providing security and logistical support that the country's weak systems is unable to provide. Additional problems involve the electoral roll being made available only digitally, a major hurdle in a nation with scarce online access. These issues have prompted an opposition boycott and could, according to observers, "disenfranchise large segments of the electorate." Stakes of a Third Term Many residents worry that another term for Touadéra—enabled by a 2023 charter change that scrapped term limits and extended mandates—would entail expanded sway for outside interests. The president has relied on the Russian mercenary group Wagner for personal security, and despite its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to integrate its fighters into a successor entity. In contrast, Rwanda has taken a separate strategy, focusing on commercial interests within CAR. Claims of National Disposal Allegations have stated the government removed its own soldiers from a internationally financed facility to make way for a Rwandan livestock operation. A critical editorial charged the leadership of being "intent on sell off the country bit by bit." Amid a recent peace accord with armed factions offering a glimmer of stabilization, the election moves forward under a cloud of uncertainty and external rivalry.