By John Ikani
Chad’s military ruler, Gen Mahamat Déby was on Monday sworn in as the transitional President, extending his stay in power by two years following recommendations from a contentious national inclusive dialogue process that concluded last week.
The 38-year-old General had already been proclaimed by the Army as President of the Republic on 20 April 2021, at the head of a Transitional Military Council (TMC) of 15 generals, the day of the announcement of the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, killed at the frontline against rebels after having ruled the vast Sahelian country with an iron fist for 30 years.
During the inauguration ceremony on Monday at the Palais du 15-Janvier in N’Djamena, the President had swapped his usual general’s uniform for a traditional white Chadian boubou.
The inauguration took place in the presence of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, several ministers from West and Central Africa (Niger, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo), the ambassadors of France and the European Union, but in the absence of the African Union (AU) representatives.
Delivering his inauguration speech, Mr Déby promised to quickly appoint a “national unity government.”
He also asked the international community “to accompany Chad in its permanent quest for security and stability both inside the country and outside its borders, particularly in the theatres of peacekeeping operations and the fight against terrorism.
Chad has been regularly beset for decades by offensives from a multitude of rebel groups and remains a strategic ally of the West in the fight against jihadism.
