Opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo says the dialogue will tackle irregularities.

Political actors in Chad are already hustling ahead of elections expected in 2016. The opposition leader, Saleh Kebzabo after a tour of the country has proposed a political dialogue that brings together representatives of the government, ruling party and the opposition to discuss important aspects in the organization of the elections. During a press conference on Monday, he pointed out some irregularities in the organization of the biometric registration of voters that is intended to ensure peaceful elections.

Saleh Kebzabo said he noticed that people are yearning for change after 25 years of the reign of President Idriss Deby Itno. He said the biometric registration of voters that ended on December 15, was intended to reduce fraud.  The operation, he decried, was however marred by the fact that minors and refugees were enrolled to vote. According to Mr Kebzabo, the ruling Salvation Patriotic Movement (MPS) has demonstrated its lack of patriotism and nationalism by massively enrolling foreigners who are benefitting from political asylum in the country.

He said they were currently gathering proofs so that at the right time, they would report the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to the UN Secretary General. The case against the UNHCR will be its guilt in failing to take appropriate measures to stop the registration of refugees in the electoral register. He specified that their allegations of the UNHCR complicity concern specifically the regions of Ennedi-East, Wadi Fira and Ouaddaï.

The presidential majority headed by the ruling MPS has not taken the accusations lightly. The MPS spokesman, Jean-Bernard Padere described Saleh Kebzabo’s allegations as the statement of a loser.