Arrest of Chad's Former Prime Minister Raises Concerns Over Political Tensions

Succès Masra, the former prime minister of Chad and prominent opposition leader, has been arrested over alleged involvement in clashes that resulted in at least 42 fatalities. His detainment has been termed a "kidnapping" by his party, raising alarm about political repression in the context of escalating violence linked to land disputes.

Chad's former prime minister and opposition leader, Succès Masra, has been taken into custody in connection with violent clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 42 individuals in the southwestern region of the country. According to public prosecutor Oumar Mahamat Kedelaye, Masra is under suspicion for disseminating incendiary messages on social media that are believed to be linked to the violence.

His party, the Transformers, has publicly denounced the arrest, labelling it as a "kidnapping" carried out by military personnel, and emphasizes that the detainment occurred without adherence to established judicial procedures. Masra has long been an outspoken critic of President Mahamat Déby, asserting that he legitimately won the presidency in the previous year’s elections, proclaiming that the official results, which indicated Déby secured 61% of the vote, were fraudulent.

The clashes on Wednesday erupted in the village of Mandakao within Logone Occidental province, bordering Cameroon. Local authorities highlighted that provocative messages on social networks urged residents to arm themselves against other citizens, with reports suggesting that the violence was sparked by a land dispute between the Ngambaye farmers and Fulani cattle herders.

This troubling trend of conflict between agricultural communities and herders has been linked to accusations from farmers that herders are illegally grazing livestock on their lands. Alongside Masra, over 80 individuals have also been arrested as part of the ongoing investigations into the clashes.

Masra had briefly held the title of interim prime minister in the transitional government from January to May 2024. His party had boycotted the legislative polls the previous December, citing fears regarding the integrity of the electoral process. The Déby family has maintained power in Chad for over thirty years, with Mahamat Déby assuming leadership following the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, at the hands of rebels in 2021.