President Faustin-Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday, December 30, told journalists that former President, François Bozizé, who is leading a rebel coalition, has not fled the country as claimed by some media reports.
Bozizé is, among others, accused of trying to sabotage the December 27 election process in the country, after he was not permitted to stand for election.
In a press conference at his offices in the capital, Bangui, Touadéra told journalists from African countries with troops in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA) that his rival has not fled but is, instead, still stirring trouble.
Touadéra, the 63-year-old incumbent, said: “We know he is still on the territory of the Central African Republic. And he is the one still running the attacks against the blue helmets here as well as the national forces of defence and a part of the population. He is still perpetrating violent acts.”
Earlier this month, CAR’s constitutional court invalidated five candidatures including Bozizé, 74-year-old ex-President, who returned to the country last year and is now accused of fermenting trouble.
The court gave reasons including: corruption, an international arrest warrant and membership of armed groups.
Bozizé returned to his country at the end of last year and announced his intentions to contest in the just concluded presidential election.
Asked why Bozizé was not immediately arrested since there is an arrest warrant, Touadéra explained that at the time, there was an ongoing national peace dialogue.
And, he said, when the former ruler returned “they” hoped he would join the spirit of the search for peace.
“And it did not exclude the ongoing justice process. But we thought we would discuss things,” Touadéra said, explaining that in their peace agreement there was an arrangement relating to the improvement of the welfare of the country’s former Heads of State.
Bozizé, Touadéra noted, was not excluded but there are laws and a Constitution in place that had to be respected.
“And, to be a candidate there are institutions (the national electoral commission and the Supreme Court) in charge of managing the elections which found that Bozizé did not fulfil conditions considering the international arrest warrant.”
He added: “As a former Head of State, he should have respected the institutions of the Republic. Unfortunately, no. He quickly mobilised armed groups. The CAR does not need this now.”
CAR analysts are of the view that Bozize and his foreign backers are up to no good.
Harouna Doumba, a panafricanist who is president of an international NGO, Aimons Notre Afrique (ANA), told The New Times that “enemies of this country were up and against the election” process.
“We have people from Chad embroidered in this, then we have the great France with a history here,” he said, noting that there were other parties too.
Rwandan peacekeepers, Doumba said, were a Godsend.
Rwandan peacekeepers under MINUSCA are providing security for high-ranking government officials, especially President Touadéra, and key state installations.
Regarding Bozize’s record in CAR, the panafricanist said: “This is a man who has taken the country steps back all the time. He is of no use to this country.”
Touadéra is most likely to win a second term as leader of the country following the December 27 presidential poll. There are real signs that people prefer him to other contestants. Preliminary results will be announced on January 4.
If his bid for a second term in office succeeds, he told reporters, security, peacebuilding and reconciliation as well as rebuilding his country’s ravaged economy will be his focus areas.
These, he signalled, are a work in progress.
jkaruhanga@newtimesrwanda.com
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