CAR opposition leader condemns travel ban as abuse of power
A leading opposition figure in the Central African Republic (CAR) has accused the government of abusing state power after being blocked from travelling abroad over a citizenship dispute.
Former prime minister Anicet-Georges Dologuélé, a prominent critic of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, said he was stopped from boarding a flight to Addis Ababa on Tuesday.
Dologuélé was due to attend a meeting of the African Union Peace Fund, where he has served as chair of the board since 2018.
Authorities reportedly prevented him from leaving the country, arguing he was no longer entitled to hold a Central African passport after a court ruled in October that he had lost his citizenship due to previously holding French nationality.
Speaking at a press conference, Dologuélé described the move as an “abuse of power by the state.”
The political dispute began after a court determined he was no longer eligible as a citizen because of his dual nationality status.
However, Dologuélé says he renounced his French passport in August to meet eligibility requirements and challenge Touadéra in the country’s December presidential election.
Touadéra was later declared the winner with nearly 78% of the vote, securing a third term after changing the constitution in 2023.
Dologuélé, who finished second in the election, rejected the results and accused authorities of massive electoral fraud.
A significant section of the opposition boycotted the vote, arguing the constitutional changes and electoral process lacked legitimacy.
This is not the first time Dologuélé has challenged Touadéra, having also run unsuccessfully against him in the 2016 and 2020 elections, both of which faced fraud allegations.
The latest standoff adds to growing political tensions in the Central African Republic as opposition figures continue to raise concerns about democratic freedoms and political exclusion.
Observers say the case could further strain confidence in the country’s institutions and electoral process.
