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afrol News, 28 May - Incumbent Chadian President Idriss Deby has comfortably won last week's presidential elections by 67.35 percent, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). Over 80 percent of the Chadians used their right to vote in the freest election in the country's history. According to the CENI and the international election observers, the 20 May election appeared to have been free and fair, thus contrasting the 1996 poll, which was marred by fraud and intimidation. Chadians, given their first real chance to change their head of state, on Sunday 20 May however queued for hours to give renewed confidence in President Deby. While observers claim the elections were fair, the six presidential candidates opposing Deby however already on Thursday had published a joint statement claiming there had been widespread and "massive fraud". Challenger Ngarlejy Yorongar, who won 13.94 percent of the vote, and Saleh Kabzabo (6.53 percent) supported these allegations. The Electoral Commission's president, Yokabdjim Mandigui, had "noted imperfections here and there" but said he in general was satisfied with the way the elections had been carried out, when he today read the preliminary election results. Mandigui however added that the results of the poll were those directly originating from the polling stations. "They do not in any way predict the results which the Constitutional Council will be given very soon," opening the possibility to address possible irregularities before the final numbers are issued. Changes threatening President Deby's large lead are unlikely. The great looser in the Chadian election is observed to be the prominent oppositional politician Wadal Abdelkader Kamougué, believed to have been one of Deby's most dangerous challengers. Veteran politician and former warlord Kamougué however only came fourth, with a modest 5,13 percent of the vote. In the 1996 elections, where it took a second round for Deby to win, Kamougué achieved over 30 percent of the votes. The 1996 presidential elections were, although marred by fraud, the first pluralistic elections in Chad's history. They served to install Idriss Deby, who had come to power by a coup d'état in 1990, as President. Most changes in the Chadian presidency have been violent. Although the President Deby's respect of democratic institutions and of human rights has been shifting, his regime has brought relative peace, stability and major investments to war-ridden Chad; a fact observers believe he was rewarded for in this poll. Deby's main achievement has been luring international investors, including the World Bank, to embark on the gigantic Chad-Cameroon pipeline, which will enable Chad to produce and export oil. The first incomes of this new industry, bound to gravely affect the economy of one of the poorest countries in the world, are expected to come in the second half of Deby's next presidential term. To achieve foreign investments, Deby had to improve the respect of human rights and democratic institutions in the country. He also had to lead a policy of reconciliation and has been able to ended most of the armed conflicts in the country. Deby was able to refer to these improvements under his campaign and tell the Chadians he was the best insurance for further achievements - a message two-thirds of the population found trustworthy. As the results were made public, followers and sympathizers of President Deby immediately took to the streets celebrating the event. N'djamena this morning was a concert of horns and cheering crowds. Deby himself, following the event from his party's headquarters, had to give up holding his speech as a consequence of the loud cheering.
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