Provisional results of the electoral commission announced on Monday showed that a third term of office has been won by the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, who won an outright majority in the presidential election held on December 28.

The 68-year-old mathematician in power ten years ago was aiming to have a third term following a constitutional referendum in 2023 that removed the presidential term limit.

After seeking the assistance of the Russian mercenaries and Rwandan soldiers, he ran on his security record in the long-time volatile country. This year, he also signed peace agreements with a few rebel groups.

The figures announced by Mathias Morouba, the most senior election official in the country, on Monday night indicated that Touadera had been stripped of 76.15 percent of the votes, with the former prime minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele getting 14.66 percent and the former prime minister Henri-Marie Dondra getting 3.19 percent.

Morouba said the turnout was at 52.42.

The leading opposition bloc, which it refers to as BRDC in its French acronym, did not take part in the election, claiming that it would not be fair.

Dologuele and Dondra had undermined their credibility even prior to the announcement of the results, as they held separate press conferences to condemn what they termed as election fraud.

Dolegole, who lost to the 2020 election winner, gave a press conference on Friday where he said that there was a systematic effort to “tamper” with the process.

On December 28, the Central African people spoke, according to Dologuele. They had a definite wish to change.

The government of Touadera has refused to admit that there was fraud.

Any form of challenge should be resolved by the Constitutional Court before January 20, and final outcomes announced.

RUSSIA ALLY TO STAY IN POWER

The triumph of Touadera is bound to advance the interests of Russia, which has sold security aid in exchange for resources such as gold and diamonds.

However, Touadera has also shown an interest in Western relations, indicating that he is open to any nation that would choose to advance the lithium, uranium, and gold deposits of CAR.

Opposition parties have explained that the 2023 referendum that enabled him to serve in a second term was an indication that he wants to retire as president.

No significant reports of the vote on December 28 were as different as the previous election in 2020, where the rebel groups blocked hundreds of polling stations.

Nevertheless, Touadera’s security gains are still dangerous, as analysts warn.

Military formations had not been eliminated. Nathalia Dukhan, Central Africa analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said that they were only added to the system.

Dukhan said that some of the leaders of armed groups were given government employment since they signed peace deals with Touadera.

“However, when they realise that the system does not suit their interests, things could develop dramatically,” she added.

The dominance of state institutions and better financial assets compared to others gave Touadera an edge over the state before the voting process.