Presidential polls

Chadians are due to decide on Sunday which of seven presidential candidates will run their country for the next five years. Incumbent President Idriss Deby, who seized power in 1990, won elections in 1996 against most of the candidates running against him on Sunday. The foremost challenger is the current speaker of the National Assembly and leader of the Union pour le renouveau et la democratie, General Wadal Abdelkader Kamougue, who won 30 percent in the 1996 run-off. Saleh Kebzabo, who came in third in 1996, was demoted from the Ministry of Agriculture after he announced his candidacy. Another contender, Kassire Koumakoye, served as Deby’s prime minister in the early 1990’s and also ran in 1996. His rassemblement national pour la democratie et le progres has no seat in parliament. The other candidates are Oumar Saleh of the Parti pour la liberte et le developpement, Jean Bawoyeu of the Union pour la Democratie et la republique, and Ngarledjy Yorongar of the Federation action pour la republique. The campaign, which closed on Saturday, had been marred by intimidation and violence, media organisations reported. On 3 May, all six opposition candidates signed an agreement to transfer their votes to the challenger, should one of their number face Deby in the second round.