Chad: Mahamat Deby, Success Masra among 10 cleared candidates for presidential election

Electoral authorities in Chad have cleared 10 candidates for this year’s long-awaited presidential election. They include nominations of interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby and the country’s recently-appointed Prime Minister Succes Masra.

On Sunday the central African nation's Constitutional Council announced the list which showed that outspoken opposition figures Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami and Rakhis Ahmat Saleh would be barred from contesting the elections.  "Their applications had been rejected because they included “irregularities” the council's statement said. 

It is the first time in Chad’s history that a president and a prime minister will face each other in a presidential poll whose first round of voting will take place May 6 and with a provisional s econd round scheduled to take place June 22.

The elections are part of a transition back to democracy from rule by Chad’s military government. Provisional results are expected on July 7.