Chad’s military junta appointed a transitional government

First modification:

The Transitional Military Council, a body created to govern the country after the death of President Idriss Déby Itno, announced the formation of an Executive to face the transition to new elections. The board led by Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of the late president, appointed 40 ministers and secretaries of state, while creating a portfolio for national reconciliation. The opposition presented mixed reactions to the measure.

The junta in command of Chad after the death of President Idriss Déby Itno appointed a transitional government this Sunday, May 2. This was announced on state television by the Army spokesman, General Azem Bermandoa.

The Transitional Military Council (CMT) led by Mahamat Idriss Déby, son of the late president, appointed 40 ministers and secretaries of State by decree, in addition to creating a new Ministry for National Reconciliation.

On Monday, April 26, he had appointed Albert Pahimi Padacké to the post of transitional prime minister. The 54-year-old politician had been the last prime minister of Idriss Déby Itno before the president removed the post in 2018 and, after taking office, had promised a “government of national reconciliation” and had launched “broad consultations” during the week in order to propose names to the president of the CMT.

In charge of the new portfolio of Reconciliation and National Dialogue was Acheick Ibn Oumar, a former rebel leader who in 2019 became a diplomatic adviser to the presidency.

The announcement of the new Executive came after protests called by the opposition on April 27 – which left at least 13 dead – to demand the return to constitutional order after the military took control of the country on April 20, annulled the Constitution and dissolve the Government and Parliament.

Mahamat Idriss Déby – who assumed control of the country after the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, which occurred on April 19 as a result of the wounds suffered in combat with the rebels – justified the creation of the military junta in the face of the threat of more attacks armed groups and promised to call elections within 18 months.

A government with several well-known names and under the surveillance of the CMT

The new government for the transition of Chad is not independent of the son of the deceased president, since its members are appointed and dismissed by the leader of the transitory military junta.

In an attempt to show a conciliatory image, the Executive added as Minister of Justice the historic opponent of Idriss Déby Itno, Mahamat Ahmat Alhabo, of the Party for Freedom and Development (PLD). However, the main opposition leader, Saleh Kebzabo, is not in the cabinet.

The rest of the Government presents several officials from the last term of Idriss Déby Itno, who have been re-elected to their former positions or appointed to other portfolios. For example, the spokesman for the last Executive, Chérif Mahamat Zene, was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he already held from 2018 to 2020.

Meanwhile, Lydie Beassemda, the first woman candidate for the presidential election last April and former minister of Idriss Déby Itno, will be in charge of the Higher Education and Research portfolio.

File photo of military personnel with Mahamat Idriss Deby, son of the deceased president of Chad, on February 7, 2013, in Kidal, Mali. © Cheick Diouara / Reuters

Mixed reactions from the Chadian opposition

Following the military junta’s takeover, the main opposition parties, as well as trade unions and civil society, saw the coming to power of Idriss Déby Itno’s son as an “institutional coup” and called for a “civilian-led transition. “.

This Sunday, Saleh Kebzabo, the main opposition leader, told the AFP agency that he “recognizes” the authority of the transitional military junta headed by Mahamat Idriss Déby.

“We recognize the Transitional Military Council (CMT), otherwise we would not be in government,” he said. This is because two members of his party were appointed in the new transitional government to the positions of Minister of Livestock and Undersecretary General of the Government.

Different was the reception of Succès Masra, president of the Les Transformateurs movement, who told Reuters that “it gives the impression of being a house built starting from the roof.” “This will not go far until we return to the foundations desired by the people: a civilian president, a (military) vice president,” he declared.

With AFP, EFE and Reuters

.
#Chads #military #junta #appointed #transitional #government



source https://pledgetimes.com/chads-military-junta-appointed-a-transitional-government/