By Ebi Kesiena
Chad’s National Election Management Agency (ANGE) has released a provisional list of candidates for the December 29 legislative and local elections, disqualifying at least six officials from the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), including Secretary General Mahamat Zen Bada.
Zen Bada was disqualified for failing to disclose a 2012 conviction for forgery and misappropriation of public funds, a charge he later received a presidential pardon for though the pardon does not erase the conviction from his record under Chadian law.
The MPS, the former party of late President Idriss Deby and now supporting his son, President Mahamat Idriss Deby, has stated it is reviewing the disqualifications and may back appeals submitted to Chad’s Constitutional Council. The council permits appeals to be filed within five days.
In total, 46 out of 1,321 candidates vying for legislative seats from 179 parties or coalitions were disqualified, along with 103 of 1,260 local election candidates from 134 parties.
Meanwhile, these legislative elections will be the first held since 2011.
