BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — President Faustin-Archange Touadéra officially began his third consecutive term in office Monday, taking the oath three months following a controversial December election.
The new term will last seven years under constitutional changes approved in 2023. Those same amendments eliminated presidential term limits and extended the office from five to seven years. Opposition coalition parties refused to participate in the December voting in protest of these changes.
During Monday’s inauguration ceremony in Bangui, which drew attendance from the leaders of Congo-Brazzaville and Comoros, Touadéra outlined his economic vision. “We aspire to build a sovereign economy and ensure transparent management of our natural resources,” he stated.
The Constitutional Council reported that Touadéra secured 77.9% of votes cast, but opposition groups and civil society organizations have dismissed these figures as fraudulent.
Civil society activist Frédéric Godoba expressed strong skepticism about the reported results, saying “You have to be a fool to believe that.”
The nation has experienced ongoing instability since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebel forces overthrew former President François Bozizé. A 2019 peace agreement between government officials and 14 armed factions helped reduce tensions, though six of those groups have since abandoned the accord.
The Central African Republic became one of the initial African nations where Wagner, the Russian mercenary organization, established operations.
