He replaces André Nzapayéké who resigned on August 5, 2014, along with his government.   

As efforts continue in the Central African Republic, CAR, to restore peace after months of an unprecedented sectarian conflict, the Transitional Head of State, Catherine Samba-Panza, yesterday, August 10, 2014, announced the appointment of a new Prime Minister. Mahamat Kamoun, a Moslem, is to oversee the transition to its conclusion by February 2015.

He replaces André Nzapayéké who resigned on August 5, 2014 along with his cabinet in order to pave the way for the implementation of the July 23, 2014 Brazzaville Ceasefire Accord between anti-Balaka and Séléka militias. Until yesterday a Special Adviser at the Presidency, Kamoun is a finance expert who served as Director General of Treasury under former President François Bozizé and Director of Cabinet or Chief of Staff to Séléka leader and immediate past Head of State, Michel Djotodia.

Since the forced resignation of Djotodia and his Prime Minister, Nicolas Tiangaye last January, Kamoun stayed on at the Presidency as Minister of State, Special Adviser to President Catherine Samba-Panza, Radio France Internationale, RFI, said. Some sources suggested that Mahamat Kamoun was not the preferred choice of the international community that wanted Karim Meckassoua, who was minister on several occasions under President Bozizé. A Séléka source once warned that if Meckassoua was appointed PM, there would be ‘chaos.’ He described him as Séléka’s ‘enemy.’

The new PM faces the not-so-easy task of forming an inclusive government in the coming days that is acceptable to the country’s stakeholders. President Samba-Panza over the weekend promised that the new cabinet would be released this week. But more importantly, Kamoun’s mettle will be tested as he tries to end sectarian violence and deep-seated divisions to lead the beleaguered country onto credible polls by February 2015.   

In a bid to build on the momentum of the recent accord, the President over the weekend organised a rally in the capital, Bangui, to urge all warring parties to bury the hatchet. Thousands of peace activists marched through the streets of the capital before converging on the city’s stadium where the President addressed the crowd. The rally followed a night of heavy fighting between the army and anti-Balaka militiamen in the Boy Rabe neighbourhood of Bangui that left at least two people dead.