It has so far won 42 towns in the country’s first ever council elections of mayors.

The Chadian National Electoral Commission, CENI, on Monday February 6 announced that the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement, MPS, party of President Idriss Deby Itno and its allies had won majority of towns in the first local elections to be organized in the country, RFI reported. According to provisional results of the elections that held on January 22, the opposition faired better than in the last parliamentary polls.

The ruling party had absolute majority in 12 of the 43 constituencies, and joined forces with allied parties to beat the opposition Union for Renewal and Democracy (URD) of late Gen. Wadal Abdelkader Kamougue. The opposition presented a common front in the election with a 16-member coalition, enabling it to take the economic capital, Moundou, where a former rebel leader and minister, Médard Laokein, led the list, AFP reported.

The opposition also did well in the oil rich border town of Bébédja while votes were shared between the ruling ‘Renaissance’ coalition in Doba, Ati, Bol, Laï Kélo and Bongor. In the capital, Ndjamena, the MPS won most of the councils, though results of the 10^th Subdivision were withheld because CENI could not agree on them. The matter will be forwarded to the Supreme Court for adjudication.

As the only party that fielded candidates all over the country, the ruling party naturally won where the opposition was absent. It won all towns in the North and apart from Koumra in the South, the MPS also took Léré in the South West, the stronghold of opposition leader, Saleh Kebzabo. Observers say the victory in Léré is the result of hard work on the part of President Deby’s government. For example, at least FCFA one billion was pumped into the locality in four months for infrastructural development.

Reacting to the results, Saleh Kebzabo alleged that there were several cases of fraud, while the Secretary General of MPS, Haroun Haroun Kabadi, expressed satisfaction at the outcome. In the 2011 parliamentary polls, MPS won 113 of the 188 seats. About one million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the landmark elections. Previously, mayors were appointed directly by the central government. Final results are due to be announced on February 22.