Chad public mismanagement under fire as citizens demand accountability

Recent remarks from Chad’s leadership, attributing the nation’s woes to divine will and urging citizens to fear God, ring hollow against the backdrop of daily hardships endured by ordinary citizens. While faith remains a cornerstone of resilience for many in Chad, its invocation to justify systemic governance failures, economic stagnation and institutional decay demands urgent scrutiny.

The fusion of religious discourse with political narratives has reached a critical juncture. Governance, by definition, must prioritize the tangible needs of the people—not abstract appeals to heavenly justice. Yet, the 2024 presidential election, widely condemned as a sham, exposed the fragility of democratic pretenses. Disputed official results, suppressed opposition voices and independent observer reports revealed a process engineered to entrench power rather than reflect the will of the people. The tragic loss of life during post-election celebrations underscored the depth of public disillusionment.

For appeals to divine truth to resonate, they must be paired with absolute transparency in electoral processes. The upcoming legislative and local elections will serve as a defining test. Without fundamental reforms to the electoral commission and the publication of results polling station by polling station, Chad’s democratic transition will remain a hollow promise.

The 2024 electoral farce shattered public trust irreparably. Citizens now demand nothing less than a complete overhaul of the electoral roll and the reconstitution of the electoral body. If the leadership truly values honesty, these reforms are non-negotiable.

State nepotism vs. republican equity

Divine justice abhors favoritism, corruption and inequality—yet Chad’s current regime thrives on them. High-level appointments across state institutions, financial regulators and security forces are dictated by nepotism rather than merit. Technical expertise is routinely sacrificed on the altar of regional, clan or familial allegiances. The result? A republic where competence is sidelined, young graduates with no connections face unemployment, and key administrative positions—particularly those overseeing oil and customs revenues—are treated as personal spoils for the elite. Such systemic injustice fuels widespread frustration and threatens the nation’s stability.

Collapsing infrastructure: a failure of leadership

Cynical attempts to frame daily privations as divine tests ignore reality. Chad’s crumbling infrastructure is not a matter of fate—it is the direct consequence of managerial incompetence.

Energy poverty in N’Djamena has reached crisis levels. Recent fires at critical power plants have plunged hospitals and businesses into darkness, turning electricity into a rare commodity. Meanwhile, cities like Abéché, Sarh and Moundou grapple with chronic water shortages—not because of divine decree, but due to systemic neglect. Chad possesses abundant natural water reserves; access remains a daily struggle only because leadership has failed to deliver.

Revenue from oil and gold—resources meant to uplift the nation—is systematically diverted to enrich a privileged few. The question lingers: Can divine justice truly endorse the plundering of a nation’s wealth in its name?

Chadians no longer seek empty moralizing or empty promises. They demand credible institutions, functional public services and inclusive governance. The sincerity of leadership will be measured not in sermons, but in measurable improvements to their daily lives.