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François Bozizé Yangouvonda (born October 14, 1946) is the current President of the Central African Republic. He came to power in March 2003 after leading a rebellion against President Ange-Félix Patassé and ushered in a transitional period of government. He won the country's 2005 presidential election; he received the most votes in the first round in March 2005, but less than a majority, requiring a second round, which he won in May 2005.
Early life and Kolingbas rule Bozizé was born in Gabon, a member of Gbaya people, and attended a military officers' training college in the Central African province of Bouar, becoming a captain in 1975. He was appointed brigadier-general by Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa in 1978. After Bokassa was ousted by David Dacko in 1979, Bozizé was appointed defense minister. During the military rule of André Kolingba (1981–1993), Bozizé was appointed communications minister, but was subsequently accused of plotting a coup attempt. After being arrested in Cotonou, Benin in July 1989, Bozizé was imprisoned and tortured, but he was acquitted in late 1991. Kolingba held elections in 1993, and Bozizé became a candidate. He took only 1.5% of the vote; Patassé won the election in a run-off against Abel Goumba. Supporting Patassé For many years, Bozizé was considered a supporter of Patassé and helped him suppress army mutinies in 1996 and 1997. Bozizé was then named the Armed Forces Chief of Staff. Bozizé showed no activity against Patassé and frequently crushed revolts against the president. Against Patassé On May 28 2001, a coup was attempted against Patassé and defeated with the help of Libyan troops and Congolese rebels of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo. Afterwards, Bozizé's loyalty was questioned, and in late October 2001 he was dismissed as army chief of staff. Fighting erupted when the government tried to arrest Bozizé on November 3; after five days of this, government forces aided by Libyan troops captured the barracks where Bozizé was based, and Bozizé fled north to Chad. Fighting between government forces and Bozizé's rebels continued during 2002. From October 25 to October 31, his forces unsuccessfully attacked on the capital, Bangui; the Congolese MLC, who again came to Patassé's aid, were accused of looting and rape. This period was marked by tensions between Chad and Patassé's government. Patassé's ruling party accused Chadian president Idriss Déby of destabilizing the Central African Republic by supporting Bozizé with men and equipment. The final coup, transition period, and election as president On March 15, 2003, Bozizé finally succeeded in seizing power, with his forces entering Bangui unopposed. Patassé was returning from a meeting in Niger at the time, but could not land because Bozizé's forces controlled the airport. In late December 2004, Bozizé was one of five candidates approved to run in presidential elections scheduled for early 2005. In early January 2005, Bozizé announced that three initially excluded candidates would also be allowed to run, although former president Patassé was not included in either group. In late January, it was announced that more candidates would be permitted to run in the election, bringing the total to 11 and leaving only Patassé barred. The elections were also delayed by one month from the previously scheduled date of February 13 to March 13 (see Central African Republic elections, 2005). Bozizé came in first in the March 13 election, taking just under 43% of the vote according to official results. He faced Patassé's last prime minister, Martin Ziguélé, in a second round of voting; this was held on May 8 and according to official results announced on May 24, he won with 64.6% of the vote. He was sworn in on June 11. The parliament authorized Bozizé to rule by decree for three months, from January 1 to March 31 2006; his prime minister, Élie Doté, said that this period of rule by decree was successful, enabling Bozizé to take measures to streamline the civil service. See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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