Chad's electoral body disqualifies senior ruling party official

Chad’s electoral body has made public a provisional list of candidates for the upcoming combined legislative and local polls, disqualifying at at least six ruling party officials.

This includes the Patriotic Salvation Movement’s (MPS) secretary general, Mahamat Zen Bada.

The National Election Management Agency (ANGE) says he failed to disclose a 2012 conviction for forgery and the misappropriation of public funds.

Although Zen Bada subsequently received a presidential pardon, under Chadian law a conviction by pardon is not removed from a person’s criminal record.

The MPS is the party of former Chadian president Idriss Deby, and now the main supporter of his son and incumbent president Mahamat Idriss Deby.

Of the other officials disqualified, some have been sentenced to prison in the past, with four of them reportedly convicted for the embezzlement of public funds.

The MPS says it is currently investigating and will stand by any of the unsuccessful candidates should they appeal the decision.

These must be lodged with the Constitutional Council within five days.

In total, the electoral agency rejected 46 of the 1,321 from 179 political parties or coalitions who applied to run in the legislative polls.

Of the 1,260 candidates from 134 parties applying to stand in local elections, 103 were refused validation.

The legislative polls, the first since 2011, are due to take place on 29 December.