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This Sunday, the nation of CAR will undertake a significant quadruple election, including the presidential race, national assembly, and municipal offices.

A Competitive Race for the Presidency

A field of seven contenders are vying for the top office, among them former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. Both men were given approval to run by the high court after being initially barred. Dologuélé finished second in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra had a short tenure under the current president.

Challengers' Strategy and Voter Frustrations

The opposition aims to capitalize on widespread discontent in a country where conflict remains a constant threat. More than half a million people are internally displaced, with a comparable figure living as refugees in neighbouring countries.

"This is an opportunity to commend the significant progress of the country," said a senior UN diplomat, though he added that obstacles persist.

Touadéra's Expected Victory

Despite the competition, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a one-time academic, is largely predicted to secure another term. He transitioned into politics in 2008 when named prime minister, serving until a insurgent alliance overthrew the government in 2013, triggering a civil war.

After a chaotic transition period, his reputation for neutrality from the main militias fueled his second-round victory in 2016.

Election Risks and Voting Challenges

There are fears that supply-chain issues and violence could disrupt the vote, particularly in rural areas. The UN peacekeeping mission, Minusca, is providing security and organizational aid that the country's weak systems cannot manage.

Additional problems include the voter list being published only online, a major hurdle in a nation with scarce online access. These irregularities have led to an opposition boycott and could, as noted by analysts, "disenfranchise large segments of the population."

Stakes of a Third Term

Many residents fear that another term for Touadéra—made possible by a 2023 charter change that scrapped term limits and lengthened mandates—would mean greater influence for outside interests.

The president has relied on the private military group Wagner for his protection, and despite its founder's death, has resisted calls to integrate its fighters into a successor entity. In contrast, Rwanda has pursued a different approach, focusing on commercial ventures within CAR.

Claims of National Disposal

Allegations have claimed the government evicted its own soldiers from a World Bank-funded training centre to make way for a foreign-run livestock operation. A critical editorial charged the leadership of being "intent on dispose of the nation piece by piece."

Amid a newly signed agreement with rebel groups offering a glimmer of calm, the election proceeds under a cloud of uncertainty and external rivalry.