The president of Central African Republic is asking voters to endorse the abolition of term limits in a referendum organized by Russia’s Wagner mercenary group.
Wagner is providing security for the referendum because it has troops and economic interests in the country.
The main opposition has called for a referendum boycott, accusing President Faustin-Archange Touadéra of attempting to become president for life.
Mr. Touadéra has strengthened ties with Russia after French forces left in 2022.
His supporters argue that constitutional restrictions on presidential terms are “uncommon” in the area and that the suggested reforms will aid in the achievement of stability and growth.
For decades, the CAR has been plagued by rebellions and coups, with a powerful alliance of rebel groups attempting to depose Mr Touadéra.
According to the Afrique Media website linked to the Russian group, Wagner commander Yevgeny Prigozhin announced on Wednesday that hundreds of its fighters had arrived in the resource-rich country as part of “a planned rotation before the referendum.”
It quoted Mr Prigozhin as saying that “we control the territory of CAR and we are convinced that the gangs will not be able to harass the population”.
A UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic is also providing security for the referendum.
However, Wagner is increasingly seen as the major force on which Mr Touadéra’s government relies in order to maintain control and fight insurgents.
Since 2018, Wagner has had at least 1,000 forces in CAR and has acquired significant economic interests in the country.
It is said to be involved in the mineral and forestry sectors.
Mr Prigozhin was spotted shaking hands with Ambassador Freddy Mapouka, a CAR presidential aide, earlier this week at a Russia-Africa forum in St Petersburg.
France, the former colonial power, withdrew its last military from the Central African Republic in 2022. It initially committed approximately 1,600 troops to the country after a coup in 2013 triggered a civil conflict.
Mr. Touadéra was elected president of the Central African Republic in 2016 and will be re-elected in 2020.
However, he has been accused of growing increasingly dictatorial, and critics claim the referendum is the latest manifestation of his attempt to consolidate control.
If the constitutional amendments are accepted, Mr. Touadéra will be able to run for a third term in 2025.
It would also lengthen the presidential term from five to seven years and empower the president to appoint more Supreme Court justices.
