Chad’s interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election amid heightened tensions following the killing of opposition figure Yaya Dillo in N’Djamena. Dillo’s death has exposed fractures within the ruling elite as Chad navigates its transition to democracy. The government claims Dillo was killed in an exchange of gunfire with security forces, while his party members are accused of attacking the internal security agency. Deby’s uncle, General Saleh Deby Itno, who defected to Dillo’s opposition party, has been arrested in connection with the events. The opposition views Dillo’s death as an assassination and perceives recent events as an attempt to stifle political dissent.
Despite these challenges, Deby announced his candidacy, expressing a mix of honor, humility, responsibility, and gratitude. Meanwhile, the European Union voiced deep concern over the violence in N’Djamena and called for an impartial investigation to establish the facts and hold perpetrators accountable. These developments disrupt efforts toward a peaceful transition to democracy, compounded by earlier electoral postponements and subsequent protests quashed by security forces, resulting in civilian casualties. Chad’s political landscape remains volatile as it grapples with internal strife and strives to uphold democratic principles amidst ongoing uncertainty.