Christian Entity Urges Respect for “democratic principles” in CAR After Court Upholds President Touadéra’s Re-Election

“As he embarks on his third term, we call on President Touadéra to ensure that he governs for the benefit of all Central Africans, and that his government respects the internationally recognised democratic principles and rights that CAR is bound to,” Mervyn said.

He added, “We also call on the government to work with partners to meet the urgent humanitarian crisis created by the renewed fighting in Zemio, and for action to be taken to bring those responsible for targeting civilians in Haute-Mbomou Prefecture over the election period to justice.”

According to the CSW report, the court affirmed that the incumbent president had received 77.90 percent of the vote, a marginal increase on his vote share of 76.15 percent from the provisional results released by the National Elections Authority on January 5.

The ruling follows complaints that two opposition parties had filed with the Constitutional Court over irregularities surrounding the election period that were ruled inadmissible and could not be considered by the court.  

Ahead of the elections, the CSW report says that the main opposition party, the Republican Block for the Defence of the Constitution (BRDC), boycotted the vote over concerns regarding the electoral process.

The concerns were reportedly based on the claim that the electoral commission delayed the approval of two prominent opposition politicians, Anicet-Georges Dologuele and Henri-Marie Dondra, during the campaigning period.

Presidential candidates are said to have reported restrictions on their freedom of movement and ability to effectively campaign in all parts of the country, which they argue gave the incumbent president an advantage.   

The CSW report also says that opposition parties also boycotted the elections over the controversial 2022 Constitutional Referendum that removed presidential term limits, allowing President Touadéra to run for another term.

The referendum in question was initially rejected by the Constitutional Court, but after pressure from the Presidential Office and the firing of the court’s president, the amendment was approved in August 2023.

The court’s announcement confirms President Touadéra will commence his third term for a period of seven years.

The CSW report further indicates that the last presidential elections were marred by armed conflict and violence, as peace agreements that the government signed with armed groups failed. 

However, in the lead-up to the 2025 elections, CSW says that the government had made efforts to renew peace agreements with armed groups, including the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC).  

While the elections were largely peaceful in most parts of the country, CSW reports that the security situation in Zemio, in the Haut-Mbomou Prefecture, is critical.

It's reported that tensions in the town persisted throughout 2025, with targeted attacks by the Azande Ani Kpi Gbe (AAKG), also known as the Azande militia, on members of the Fulani community causing displacement and the deaths of civilians and UN Peacekeepers.  

CSW reports that the tensions appear to have been sparked by the peace agreement signed by the government of CAR and the UPC in April 2025.

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The Azande Militia is said to have been originally formed in 2023 to push back against the attacks on civilians by the UPC, who were members of the Seleka Coalition that took power in a coup in March 2013 and brought the country to a crisis.

CSW says that the resulting conflict saw religion become a flashpoint of conflict for the first time in CAR’s history.

According to the CSW report, the UPC fighters are predominantly from the Fulani ethnic group. In April 2025, the Azande militia is said to have called for a ban on all Muslims and non-Azande residing in or visiting Zemio or participating in elections.  

On December 28, as the country went to the polls, the Azande Militia reportedly launched a series of targeted attacks on security stations, police stations, soldiers, and police in Bambouti, also in Haut-Mbomou Prefecture.

After the initial attacks, the violence moved to Zemio, where at least 2,000 people were reportedly displaced as the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) and Russian fighters from the Wagner Group fought the AAKG.

The December 28 general elections in CAR included voting for the presidency, national legislature, regional councils, and municipal offices, with roughly 2.4 million registered voters participating. 

The voter turnout was estimated at around 52 per cent. Observers praised the peaceful conduct of voting, although opposition leaders raised concerns over irregularities and inclusivity in some regions.