Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Le pays Tchad
Published on 2024-04-12 11:13:45
At a press conference held on April 11, 2024, the collective of lawyers formed to defend the United Chad party, through Me Allaguerbaye Olivier, draws the attention of the national and international public to a “serious violation of the regulations” governing the creation, operation, and dissolution of political parties in Chad as well as the 2024 electoral code.
The United Chad Political Party is registered under No. 541 in the register of political parties, and the composition of its national executive committee was published in the official journal of the Republic No. 08 of the month of August 2023, in accordance with the spirit of Article 13 of Law No. 32/ PR/2019 of July 22, 2019 establishing the Charter of Political Parties in Chad, as recalled by Me Allaguerbaye Olivier.
According to the collective of lawyers, as the United Chad party was preparing to hold meetings in view of the upcoming electoral deadlines with dates set and published by the institutions responsible for organizing the presidential elections, on March 2, 2024, during the official ceremony of the investiture of the candidate of the Mps, Mahamat Idiss Deby Itno, a coalition composed of more than 200 political parties and over 1000 civil society associations organized under a coalition used the name “United Chad,” a political designation officially recognized for a political party by a legally signed act by the competent authorities.
For all intents and purposes, explained Me Allaguerbaye Olivier, the United Chad party enlisted a bailiff to verify the effective use of this name by the coalition through publications in the media.
He continues that, during press conferences held by the United Chad party on March 2 and 13, 2024, its national President denounced this fact while deploring and asking the initiators of this coalition to withdraw the name United Chad, which is the property of an existing political party. “Unfortunately, nothing has been done, thus prompting the United Chad party to address, through one of its Councils, a letter to the Secretary General of the Mps, reiterating the same request for the withdrawal of the name United Chad from the coalition. But still without a response,” he points out.
According to Me Allaguerbaye Olivier, one should question the timing chosen by this coalition to usurp the name officially recognized for an existing political party, knowing that the coalition includes executives serving in high State Institutions as well as intellectuals, some highly trained in law. “Here, one cannot speak of negligence or imprudence but of a deliberate intention to harm the United Chad Party,” he asserts.
Me Allaguerbaye Olivier explains that due to the consequences and damages incurred as a result of the illegal use of this designation by the coalition, legal action has been taken, and the proceedings are pending before the Courts.
He points out that according to the spirit of Article 15 cited by the minister to reject the former United Chad party’s application, it is prohibited for a political party to use a name, acronym, emblem, logo, or other distinctive signs belonging to another existing party or organization. This same prohibition is reiterated in the provisions of Article 139 of the 2024 electoral code. “Thus, there cannot be double standards, as according to the Constitution of the 5th Republic, all citizens are equal before the law,” he concludes.
Lobey Bab Sidick
Read the original article(French) on Le Pays Tchad
