Chad’s Opposition Parties Still Waiting for 2016 Election Reimbursement, Five Years Later

N’DJAMENA - Two opposition parties in Chad that garnered more than 10% of the vote in the 2016 presidential election are still waiting for reimbursement from the government, five years after the election. The Union pour la Nouvelle République (UNR) and the Rassemblement des Forces pour le Changement (RFC) are demanding payment of the funds allocated to them by the government as part of the electoral process. The UNR received 12.5% of the vote, while the RFC secured 11.3%.

Government’s Commitment to Transparency

The Chadian government has incorporated provisions such as Law 17 on the general status of the civil service into its legal framework. Civil servants promoted to high office in the Republic (president, ministers, etc.) are required to declare their assets at the beginning and end of their term of office.

However, enforcement of codes of conduct is weak, conflicts of interest are recurrent among members of the public service, and asset declarations are not made systematically. Senior officials often own businesses, companies, and other enterprises that benefit from public contracts, while whistleblowers are not protected.

Lack of Protections for Whistleblowers

The government has used mechanisms to provide guarantees of anonymity for citizens to report misconduct, but these have yielded no real results. Whistleblowers are exposed to threats and prosecution in the courts.

Recommendations from the Organisation Tchadienne Anti-Corruption (OTAC)

In a related development, the OTAC has made several recommendations to the Chadian authorities to ensure the full implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The OTAC recommends:

• Strengthening interaction between the government and civil society organizations on issues related to anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and organized crime policy.
• Adopting a code of conduct and ethics for the civil service.
• Promoting the setting up of focal points within state structures to monitor their management.

Call for Greater Justice and Equity

The Chadian authorities have been urged to apply the provisions of the Penal Code relating to corruption, bribery, and influence peddling in all areas and ensure greater justice and equity in access to public services.