The country is one of the first in which the Wagner mercenaries established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace
Thousands took to the streets in the Central African Republic to protest President Faustin Archange Touadera’s plans to run for a third term with the backing of Russian-led mercenaries from the Wagner group.
The rally was organised by opposition parties that object to Touadera’s third term as president. The country is one of the first in which the Wagner mercenaries established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace. Wagner forces have served as personal bodyguards for Touadera, helping him win a constitutional referendum in July 2023 that could extend his power indefinitely.
“We’re here to say no to a third term for Faustin Archange Touadera. But more than that, we want to protect our sovereignty, which Touadera and the Wagner have trampled upon,” said a member of the opposition, Justin Winè.
“The Wagner have raped and killed without any justice. This is not normal. To put an end to their reign, Touadera must go,” he said.
The CAR has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then-President François Bozizé from office. Six of the 14 armed groups that signed a 2019 peace deal later left the agreement. Locals and the government have credited Wagner forces with preventing rebels from taking control of Bangui in 2021.
Martin Ziguélé, an opposition spokesman, thanked the country’s youth for attending Friday’s rally in their thousands to stand up for the country’s constitution.
Meanwhile, African leaders from eastern and southern Africa appointed five former presidents to an expanded panel of facilitators to advance the peace process in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at a virtual summit.
The newly-appointed peace facilitators include former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.
The summit, co-chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa, brought together leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
In his remarks, Ruto said leaders from the two regional blocs are committed to addressing the escalating conflict that has caused loss of lives, displacement of thousands, and a devastating humanitarian crisis.
Ruto, also the chairman of the EAC, noted that the situation poses a great danger not just to the DRC but to the stability of the EAC and the SADC regions.
Ruto commended Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi for their efforts to end the conflict, citing a face-to-face meeting last week in Doha, Qatar, Xinhua news agency reported. “This is a clear demonstration on their part that they are equally committed to resolving the conflict in eastern DRC.” The summit also adopted the report on the outcomes of the joint EAC-SADC ministerial meeting held on March 17 in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, the report of the joint meeting of chiefs of defence, and the roadmap outlining the implementation measures to achieve long-term peace and security in the eastern DRC.
