Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Bangui on Friday to express their concerns about deteriorating living conditions and to urge President Faustin Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic not to run for a third term in office, in a rare public demonstration that one of the nation’s opposition leaders called historic.
Martin Ziguélé, leader of the prominent opposition party MLPC (Central African People’s Liberation Movement), emphasised the unprecedented nature of the protest.
“This hasn’t happened in more than 20-25 years,” he remarked.
Ziguélé attended the rally adorned in national colours and joined others under the “Republican Bloc for the Defence of the Constitution of March 2016″—a” coalition determined to prevent Touadéra from extending his presidency beyond the constitutional limit.
Demonstrators carried placards highlighting their daily struggles, including soaring fuel prices and a lack of basic services such as water and electricity. Chants of “no to a third term” rang out in the heat, underscoring both political dissatisfaction and economic despair.
Despite attempts by pro-government groups and trade unions to discourage participation and misleading posts on social media—including false claims that organisers were caught handing out grenades to street children—the protest went ahead peacefully.
Among the demonstrators was 39-year-old Sam, unemployed and unaffiliated with any political party. “They want to silence the population,” he said, expressing fear of reprisals against opposition supporters. “But I’d rather die here than wait at home for arrest,” he said. He spoke of unbearable economic conditions, describing the current situation as “suicidal.”
Bruno, a 48-year-old business owner, shared a similar sentiment, pointing to the dire lack of water, electricity, and medical care.
Francis, a 54-year-old civil servant, interrupted to raise concerns about ongoing insecurity, referencing frequent robberies in the capital and kidnappings in outlying regions.
Crespin Mboli-Goumba, head of the opposition PATRIE party, described the demonstration as the first step in a prolonged campaign aimed at encouraging citizens to speak out. “I’m seeing the spirit of the Central African people of 1979 return—the same people who overthrew Bokassa’s regime,” added Ziguélé.
Though initially prohibited by the interior ministry, the rally was later authorised by President Touadéra and ended without confrontation.
In a national address on Sunday marking the ninth anniversary of his first inauguration, Touadéra acknowledged the concerns of the opposition, expressing willingness to engage in dialogue. However, he also criticised what he saw as their hostile rhetoric and veiled threats.
The Republican Bloc has made participation in the upcoming municipal elections in August conditional on open and inclusive political dialogue. These local polls will pave the way for legislative and presidential elections scheduled for December.
Ziguélé reaffirmed the opposition’s stance, stating, “We want inclusive and transparent elections.”
The Central African Republic continues to grapple with instability and the lingering effects of conflict, most recently seen during the tumultuous 2020 elections, when rebel groups attempted to unseat the government.
