In Chad, referendum takes place on new constitution

Chadians have started voting on a new constitution as a stepping stone to next year’s election that aims to mend political and community division in the oil-producing, yet impoverished and fragmented country. For the 8 million registered voters, [17 December's] referendum marks a long-awaited return to civilian rule since the April 2021 military takeover after the previous president Idriss Deby was killed by rebels. But the opposition wants more autonomy and says the vote is just a farce for the military leadership to hold on to power. [...] Deby, 38, promised elections in 18 months when he seized power in April 2021. But his military administration has retained the power to extend its “transitional” rule by 18 months. The proposed constitution would indeed establish autonomous communities with local assemblies and councils of traditional chiefdoms among other changes.
Read the full article here: Al Jazeera