Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera is seeking a third term on Sunday as the chronically unstable country holds national elections, touting security gains made with the help of Russian mercenaries and Rwandan soldiers. The 68-year-oldmathematicianoversaw a constitutional referendum in 2023 that scrapped the presidential term limit, drawing an outcry from his critics who accused him of seeking to rule for life. A Touadera victory — the expected outcome — would likely further the interests of Russia, which has traded security assistance for access to resources including gold and diamonds.
Touadera is also offering access to the country’s lithium and uranium reserves to anyone interested. Theopposition fieldof six candidates is led by two former prime ministers, Anicet-Georges Dologuele and Henri-Marie Dondra, both of whom survived attempts by Touadera’s supporters to have them disqualified for allegedly holding foreign citizenship. Though both men remain on the ballot, Touadera is still seen as the favourite given his control over state institutions and superior financial resources, analysts say.
“Their late admission to the race raises questions about whether voters have been given a genuine choice.” In 2018, CAR became the first country in West and Central Africa to bring in Russia’s Wagner mercenaries, a step since also taken by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Two years later Rwanda deployed troops to shore up Touadera’s government as rebel groups threatened the capital and tried to disrupt the 2020 elections, ultimately preventing voting at 800 polling stations across the country, or 14% of the total. The country is more secure now after Touadera signed several peace deals with rebel groups this year.
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But those gains remain fragile: Rebels have not fully disarmed, reintegration is incomplete, and incursions by combatants from neighbouring Sudan fuel insecurity in the east. Beyond the presidential contest, the elections on Sunday cover legislative, regional and municipal positions.
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