The recent statements from the Head of State, who attributes the nation’s governance failures to Allah and invokes divine fear to control the population, ring hollow amid the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.
In Chad, faith and spirituality serve as pillars of resilience for its people in the face of an unyielding political system. Yet when these sacred values are exploited to conceal systemic weaknesses in governance, economics, and institutions, it is the duty of every conscientious citizen to remind leaders that leadership is not ordained by Allah. This persistent reliance on religious rhetoric cannot mask a disastrous track record of mismanagement.
Integrity and justice are sacred principles that must manifest in politics through absolute respect for the will of the people. However, the May 2024 presidential election—a mere charade—has shattered public trust irreparably. Legitimate grievances, disputed official figures, and independent observer reports have exposed a rigged process designed to entrench power. The resulting loss of life during celebrations of a stolen victory only deepened the crisis.
For divine truth to resonate, it must be anchored in absolute transparency in electoral processes. Future legislative and local elections will serve as a litmus test. Without a complete overhaul of the electoral body and the publication of results polling station by polling station, democratic transition will remain a hollow promise.
The 2024 electoral sham has broken trust irreparably. The people demand a reformed electoral register and a reconstituted electoral commission for upcoming legislative elections—if the Head of State truly values truth.
State nepotism vs. republican fairness
The fear of divine law condemns favoritism, theft, and inequity. Yet the current regime thrives on an obscene concentration of appointments in high-level state positions, financial institutions, and security forces based on nepotism. Technical expertise is sacrificed to regional, clan, or familial loyalties. Republican merit is trampled. Young graduates without influential connections are left unemployed, while key administrative roles—where oil and customs revenues are managed—are handed out as political favors to the President’s inner circle. This palpable injustice fuels frustration and threatens national stability.
Collapsing infrastructure: a managerial disaster
To frame daily hardships as spiritual trials is a cynical political maneuver. Chad faces systemic collapse in essential services—nothing divine about it, everything to do with managerial incompetence.
The energy crisis is no act of Allah. In N’Djamena, electricity access has become a luxury. The recent fire at the main power plant has plunged neighborhoods into darkness. Rolling blackouts cripple hospitals and businesses.
The water crisis in Abéché, Sarh, and Moundou cannot be blamed on divine will when Chad possesses vast natural reserves. Yet potable water remains a daily struggle because incompetence governs.
Oil and gold revenues are plundered by a privileged few, while critical infrastructure investment is neglected. Is it Allah who commands the looting of national resources in His name?
The aspirations of the people extend beyond moral platitudes and empty promises. They demand credible institutions, functional public services, and inclusive governance. Only through tangible and measurable improvement in the lives of Chadians can the sincerity of leaders be judged.
