Both candidates in tomorrow’s presidential run-off in the volatile Central African Republic tout their track records in cleaning up the country’s murky public finances and seek to reassure voters battered by years of violence.
The race between Anicet Georges Dologuele and Faustin Archange Touadera, both 58-year-old Christians, is expected to be tight with both ex-premiers enjoying support from candidates beaten in December’s first round of voting.
Widely known as “Mr Clean”, Dologuele triumphed in the first round with just under 24% of the vote.
He worked at the Central Bank of Central African States (DBCAS), serving a monetary bloc of six central African countries, before being named prime minister – a job he held from 1999 to 2001 under then-president Ange-Felix Patasse.
His term was marked by efforts to clean up public finances and renovate damaged buildings, especially schools.
He also points to a peaceful past, noting before the election that “at age 58, I have never held a weapon..
“I’m still happy to recall that from 1996 until now, the only time there were no military or political crises in the country was during my time in office,” he also said.
After leaving his job as prime minister, Dologuele headed the DBCAS from 2001 until 2010 and then set up the Central African Union for Renewal party.
His campaign is backed by the person who came third in the first round as well as the party of former president Francois Bozize, whose ousting by mainly Muslim rebels in 2013 touched off the country’s most recent spell of violence.
His opponent, Touadera, was considered a rank outsider until surprising everyone by winning 19.4% of the vote in the first round.
A well-respected former maths professor, Touadera also served as prime minister under the disgraced Bozize between 2008 and 2013.
The softly-spoken academic stood as an independent and many say his popularity is largely due to a grassroots measure – the payment of salaries of government officials into bank accounts – thereby ending decades of pay arrears and unpaid wages.
“He will be remembered as someone who paid civil servants and he is greatly appreciated for that,” said a diplomatic source in the capital Bangui.
Touadera also demonstrated impressive diplomatic skills in 2008, leading tortuous talks involving the government, the opposition and rebel groups, which led to several peace accords being signed with insurgent groups. Even during his stint as prime minister, Touadera – who studied in France and Cameroon – clung to his academic roots and continued to teach at the University of Bangui.
“He has never run after a career in politics. Politics sought him out for his qualities,” said a source. — AFP
Tight contest on eve of poll for president in volatile CAR
The race between Anicet Georges Dologuele and Faustin Archange Touadera, both 58-year-old Christians, is expected to be tight with both ex-premiers enjoying support from candidates beaten in December’s first round of voting.
Widely known as “Mr Clean”, Dologuele triumphed in the first round with just under 24% of the vote.
He worked at the Central Bank of Central African States (DBCAS), serving a monetary bloc of six central African countries, before being named prime minister – a job he held from 1999 to 2001 under then-president Ange-Felix Patasse.
His term was marked by efforts to clean up public finances and renovate damaged buildings, especially schools.
He also points to a peaceful past, noting before the election that “at age 58, I have never held a weapon..
“I’m still happy to recall that from 1996 until now, the only time there were no military or political crises in the country was during my time in office,” he also said.
After leaving his job as prime minister, Dologuele headed the DBCAS from 2001 until 2010 and then set up the Central African Union for Renewal party.
His campaign is backed by the person who came third in the first round as well as the party of former president Francois Bozize, whose ousting by mainly Muslim rebels in 2013 touched off the country’s most recent spell of violence.
His opponent, Touadera, was considered a rank outsider until surprising everyone by winning 19.4% of the vote in the first round.
A well-respected former maths professor, Touadera also served as prime minister under the disgraced Bozize between 2008 and 2013.
The softly-spoken academic stood as an independent and many say his popularity is largely due to a grassroots measure – the payment of salaries of government officials into bank accounts – thereby ending decades of pay arrears and unpaid wages.
“He will be remembered as someone who paid civil servants and he is greatly appreciated for that,” said a diplomatic source in the capital Bangui.
Touadera also demonstrated impressive diplomatic skills in 2008, leading tortuous talks involving the government, the opposition and rebel groups, which led to several peace accords being signed with insurgent groups. Even during his stint as prime minister, Touadera – who studied in France and Cameroon – clung to his academic roots and continued to teach at the University of Bangui.
“He has never run after a career in politics. Politics sought him out for his qualities,” said a source. — AFP
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