Mahamat Déby | |
|---|---|
محمد ديبي | |
.jpg) Déby in 2022 | |
| 7th President of Chad | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2024[a] | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by |
|
| Head of State of Chad[b] | |
| De facto 20 April 2021 – 10 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Albert Pahimi Padacké |
| Deputy | Djimadoum Tiraina |
| Preceded by | Idriss Deby (as President) |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as President) |
| President of theTransitional Military Council | |
| In office 20 April 2021 – 10 October 2022 | |
| Vice President | Djimadoum Tiraina |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1984-04-04)4 April 1984 (age 41) N'Djamena, Chad |
| Political party | MPS (since 2022) |
| Spouse(s) | Three wives, includingDahabaya Oumar Souni |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | Idriss Déby (Father) |
| Nickname | Kaka |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Chad |
| Branch/service | Chadian Ground Forces |
| Rank |  Marshal |
| Unit | Third Armoured Brigade Fifth Air Brigade Free Arab Volountiers |
| Battles/wars | |
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno[c] (born 4 April 1984), also known by the nicknameKaka,[1] is a Chadian politician and military officer who has been the seventhpresident of Chad since 2024, having previously served in this role in atransitional capacity from 2022 and was also Chad'sde factohead of state and president of theTransitional Military Council from 2021 until his appointment as transitional president. Déby also previously served as the second in-command of the military for theChadian Intervention in Northern Mali (FATIM). He is the son ofIdriss Déby, who served as the sixth president of Chad from 1990 to 2021.
Born inN'Djamena, Déby was sent to military training inFrance. He first saw combat in 2006. In 2013, Déby wentMali where he was appointed second in command of the Chadian special forces in the country under generalOumar Bikimo. Déby led the army in February against rebels in theAdrar des Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali leading to theBattle of Ifoghas, where they eliminated a rebel base. After returning to Chad, Déby was appointed the director of theGeneral Directorate of the Security Services of State Institutions (DGSSIE).
In April 2021 shortly after his victory in thepresidential election, Déby's father, Idriss Déby, was killed by theFront for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) in theNorthern Chad offensive. Mahamat was immediately proclaimed the new leader of Chad and the president of theTransitional Military Council where he promised a transition to a civilian government within the next 18 months. However, in October 2022, Déby extended his rule, dissolving the Transitional Military Council and being sworn in as transitional president. This caused the2022 Chadian protests that left dozens dead. The government banned several opposition parties in response.
In 2024, after aconstitutional referendum, Déby announced his candidacy for thepresidential elections held on 6 May, with his biggest challenger being his prime minister,Succès Masra, whom Déby appointed prime minister on 1 January after Masra returned to the country before the referendum. Déby won with 61% of the vote, though the results were disputed by Masra and other opposition leaders. Masra eventually resigned as prime minister and Déby was subsequently sworn in as president on 23 May, officially extending his family's 34 year rule over the country, which began with Déby's father taking power in the1990 coup.
Mahamat Déby was born on 4 April 1984,[2] the son ofIdriss Déby, who was thencommander-in-chief of theChadian Ground Forces, and aGourane mother.[3]
Mahamat Déby ispolygamous and has three wives.[4][5] His first wife is an ethnicZaghawa woman.[4] In 2010, Déby married his second wife, aCentral African woman and the daughter ofAbakar Sabone—a formerCentral African Republic government minister, advisor toMichel Djotodia, and leader of theMovement of Central African Liberators for Justice rebel group.[4] It is believed that Déby and his second wife have five children.[4]
Mahamat Déby's third wife,Dahabaya Oumar Souni, is a journalist andmedia advisor who is considered the First Lady of Chad.[4][5] Souni worked closely with her late father-in-law, President Idriss Déby, and was promoted to director ofpublic relations for the office of the presidency from December 2019 until his death.[4] In May 2021, Dahabaya Oumar Souni was appointed as media advisor to the presidency of theTransitional Military Council and now works alongside her husband, President Mahamat Déby, as a member of his group of technical advisors.[5][6][7]
Déby first enrolled at the Joint Grouping of military schools in Chad. He subsequently received training in France, at the military school ofAix-en-Provence. Upon his return he was enrolled in second promotion of semi direct of the school of officer inter arme and later was appointed to the service branch of the Security of State Institutions (DGSSIE), as a deputy commander of its infantry group. His first combat experience took place in April 2006 when rebels attacked the capital city of Chad and he later participated in combat in eastern Chad along with General Abu Bakr al Said, then director of police, Mahamat was given the rank of major afterward. In May 2009, he was made brigadier general and he shared command of Chadian forces during theBattle of Am Dam, where the army defeated the rebels.[8]
Following his victory, he was appointed in command of the armored squadrons and bodyguards of the SERS. In January 2013, he was appointed second in command of the Chadian special forces in Mali under generalOumar Bikimo. On 22 February, he led his army against rebels in theAdrar des Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali leading to theBattle of Ifoghas. They eliminated a rebel base said to be of "significant importance", inflicting heavy losses upon the rebels but also losing twenty-six men in the process, including Abdel Aziz Hassane Adam, a commander of special forces. Mahamat took full command of the FATIM and has since been leading operations against rebels in the North.[9] In 2014 he worked alongside the French military duringOperation Serval.[10]
In 2014 he was appointed as director of theGeneral Directorate of the Security Services of State Institutions (DGSSIE), a presidential guard and special forces organization that replaced the former Chadian Republican Guard and reports directly to the head of state.[11][12]
After Mahamat's father, Idriss Déby,died at the hands ofFACT on 20 April 2021, themilitary announced that the elected government andNational Assembly have been dissolved and that aTransitional Military Council led by Mahamat will lead the nation for 18 months.[13] A new charter replaced theConstitution of Chad, making Mahamat the interim President and head of the armed forces.[14]
Some political actors within Chad labeled the installing of the transitional military government a coup, as the constitutional provisions regarding the filling of a presidential vacancy were not followed.[15] Namely, according to the constitution, the President of the National Assembly,Haroun Kabadi, should have been named Acting President after presidentIdriss Déby's death, and an early election called within a period of no less than 45 and no more than 90 days from the time of the vacancy.[16] France, one of Chad's main foreign policy allies, defended the development as necessary, citing the "exceptional circumstances" caused by the rebellion.[17] The broader international community also supported Déby, seeing him as a stable foothold in the Sahel.[18][failed verification] Déby was welcomed toWashington, D.C., as a part of a summit for African leaders.[19] Despite this recognition,FACT rebels have issued an open threat to the new government, stating that "Chad is not a monarchy" and vowing to continue fighting until they reachN'Djamena and depose Mahamat Déby from power.[20]
After initially refusing to negotiate with insurgent groups, Déby softened his stance in August 2021, proposing a national dialogue. After his proposal was met with approval by rebel groups,[21] peace talks between government and rebel representatives started two months later. These peace talks culminated in the 8 August 2022 peace agreement, signed in Doha, which established a national dialogue between Déby's government and the opposition,[22] intended to prepare the country for elections scheduled for the second half of 2022.[23] The peace agreement, though, was rejected by FACT and other opposition groups, as well as by civil society groups, who cited the absence of a guaranteed return to civilian rule.[24] This lack of support for the peace agreement led to limited participation in the national dialogue.[25] Without major opposition and civilian participation in the national dialogue, it concluded to extend the transition and postpone elections until at least October 2024.[25][26] In March 2023, Déby pardoned 380 jailed FACT members, many of whom were among the 400+ sentenced to life in prison for the death of his father,[27] in an attempt to have the group join peace talks, following their non-participation in the national dialogue.[28]
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The Transitional Military Council's 3 October postponing of elections was met with significant pro-democracy demonstrations on 20 October, the initial date of elections. These demonstrations primarily took place in the cities of N'Djamena and Moundou, and were primarily orchestrated by the opposition group Wakit Tamma andSuccès Masra, leader of the Les Transformateurs party.[29] In response to the demonstrations, government security forces violently cracked down on protesters and the government orchestrated a days long internet blackout.[25] The violence ended in the deaths of between 50 and 200, including journalist Orédjé Narcisse, and the arrests of at least 600.[25][30] Of those 600+, 342 ended up sentenced to between 1 and 3 years in prison for charges related to the protests. The day was later deemed "Black Thursday" for the violence.[30] Following the demonstrations, Déby blamed protesters and organizers for the violence, and justified the government response by claiming the protests were an organized insurrection.[31] Following the protests, various opposition political parties were suspended, among them Les Transformateurs and the Chadian Socialist Party.[32]
He has received significant support in the West, most notably from France, its former colonial power.[33]Emmanuel Macron attended the funeral ofIdriss Déby, where he pledged his support for the junior Déby's government and for the stability of Chad, stability which France further supported throughOperation Barkhane, which positioned a 5,000+ French force in the Sahel, with their headquarters in Chad.[34] Déby also visited Macron at theÉlysée Palace in June 2021, where the two discussed the political transition in Chad.[35] Despite the 2021 termination ofOperation Barkhane, France has not demonstrated any wavering in their support of Déby and continues to position troops in the region,[36][37] despite having moved the remaining core of their Sahel forces toNiger.[38]
In July 2021, he counted onQatar for reconciliation and economic operations in the nation ofChad.[39] Under his administration Chad'sgross domestic product grew by 1.1% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2022.[40]
On 22 November 2022, anattack was launched byBoko Haram in the village ofNgouboua, killing at least 10 soldiers of theChad National Army. Déby had previously stated that the organization had been attacking civilians with increased frequency, as they "no longer [had] the strength to hit bases".[41] Despite significant territorial losses, Boko Haram has adapted by shifting to asymmetric tactics such as ambushes and suicide bombings, continuing to target both military and civilian sites in the Lake Chad region.[42]
In 2022, normal rainfalls occurred acrossCentral Africa andWest Africa between July and August.[43] In mid-August,floods began inChad, killing 22 people. An estimated 442,000 people were displaced[44] and astate of emergency was declared.[45]
On 13 January 2024, Déby was announced as the nominee of thePatriotic Salvation Movement for the2024 Chadian presidential election by party secretary Mahamat Zene Bada.[46] After a raid on the home of his main opponent,Yaya Dillo Djérou, by government forces on 28 February 2021 in which five of his relatives were killed,[47] three other candidates had withdrawn in protest and fear of similar consequences.[48] The attack was condemned by theAfrican Union, whileFrench Minister for Europe and Foreign AffairsJean-Yves Le Drian called for an impartial investigation into the incident.[49] Yaya Dillo Djérou was killed by security forces three years later, on 28 February 2024.[50]
On 9 May, Déby was declared the winner of the 2024 election by the National Elections Management Agency (ANGE).[51][52] According to ANGE, Déby won 61.3% of the vote while his chief opponent,Prime MinisterSuccès Masra, won 18.53%. Just prior to the announcement, Masra claimed victory on Facebook, stating that he won a "resounding victory".[53] The results of the election were announced two weeks earlier than expected.[54]
Déby was sworn in as elected president on 23 May.[55] He appointedAllamaye Halina as prime minister following Masra's resignation on 22 May.[56]
In January 2024, a preliminary investigation was opened by theNational Financial Prosecutor's office in France (PNF), for embezzlement of public funds and concealment “concerning the clothing expenses" of Déby in Paris.[57]
On 9 December 2024, the National Transitional Council elevated Déby to the rank of Marshal of Chad. 160 members voted to adopt the resolution against 2 while 6 abstained in a council.[58]
On 21 January 2025, his brother Adam Idriss Déby Itno attacked Mahamat Idriss Déby in a letter, calling on him in particular to resign.[59]
On 5 June 2025, Déby ordered the suspension of visa issuances to US nationals in retaliation for the entry ban on Chadian citizens imposed by US presidentDonald Trump the previous day.[60]
Media related toMahamat Déby at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related toMahamat Déby at Wikiquote| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | President of Chad(Transitional until 2024) 2021–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
