Central African Republic opposition leader and presidential candidate Anicet-Georges Dologuélé has declared victory in the presidential election held on December 28, 2020, accusing the government and the National Elections Authority of involvement in what he described as “widespread fraud” that marred the electoral process.
Dologuélé made the announcement nearly a week after the general elections, following a campaign marked by security tensions and sporadic violence resulting from clashes between rebel groups and government forces.
At a press conference in Bangui on Friday, January 2, the leader of the Union for the Renewal of Central Africa (URCA) said his position was based on data and information collected by his party’s representatives at polling stations across the country. He argued that the election lacked transparency and accused the ruling party, with the support of the electoral authority, of orchestrating systematic manipulation of the results.
The ruling party, United Hearts Movement, rejected the accusations, describing the opposition leader’s statements as an attempt to mask his defeat. Democratic Unity Movement spokesperson Évariste Ngamana said the announcement of election results follows a clear constitutional and legal process that cannot be bypassed.
For its part, the National Elections Authority reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and integrity in managing the electoral process, stressing that all procedures were conducted in accordance with the law. It announced that preliminary results of the presidential and legislative elections would be published on January 5, calling on citizens and the international community to await the official announcement and respect the legal process.