Cape Town — Chad's national dialogue that began a week ago, hit a snag on August 28, 2022 when the list of the presidium, which was supposed to direct the work of the forum, was contested. With the announcement that Gali Ngoté, an opponent of late president Idriss Déby appeared on the list, several participants protested and withdrew from the dialogue, saying they sense deception.

Invited organizations decided to leave after the proclamation of the list, saying that the process was faulty. In the aftermath, several personalities, leaders of political parties and associations threatened to leave the forum, which is supposed to be inclusive and sovereign. Former member of parliament Ngarledji Yorongar and the former president of the Chadian human rights league Djondang Enoch are among them.

Former minister Siddick Abdelkérim Haggar, who heads a coalition of political parties and associations, said that he is joining the Transformers and Wakit Tamma, the two main organisations which refused to participate in the dialogue from the start. "They were right. We are telling them that we are now with them. We will act together to build this new Chad," he said.

The organisation committee for the national dialogue however does not seem to be moved. They said they will hand over the management of affairs to the presidium on August 28, 2022.

Translated from RFI by AllAfrica's Michael Tantoh