Chad's military and nomads voted on Saturday in general elections that are portrayed by the president as a key step in a transition to democracy but are boycotted by opposition parties.

For most people in the Sahel nation, the elections to select a national parliament, regional assemblies and local councils will take place on Sunday from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.

But members of the armed forces and nomadic tribes were summoned to vote on Saturday for logistical reasons.

The opposition has dismissed the elections as a sham.

"No campaign, no vote on December 29. Stay at home and ask others to do the same," the main opposition Transformers party urged voters via Facebook.

Soldiers cast ballots

Nevertheless, around 45 percent of the country's 200,000 nomads and 45,000 soldiers had cast their ballots by midday, according to initial estimates.

Military personnel began arriving early at a polling station in Koundoul barracks near the capital N'Djamena, AFP saw.

"Voting is proceeding normally. The military are voting freely," senior election management official Ousmane Houzibe said.

There was a similar turnout at a nearby nomad camp along a transhumance route.

"The nomads came to ask the people who will be elected tomorrow to improve their living conditions," said sheikh Djibrine Hassabakarim, one of their representatives.

Transition elections

He said climate change had made life hard for his community, killing livestock, triggering clashes with sedentary farmers and making it hard for them to feed their families.

Voting is taking place against a backdrop of recurring attacks by militant group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region, the ending of a military accord with former colonial master France, and accusations that Chad is interfering in the conflict ravaging neighbouring Sudan.

The government of President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has presented the weekend elections as a key stage in the transition to democratic rule.

The 40-year-old Mahamat Deby took power in 2021 after the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the Sahel country for three decades.

Deby junior won a five-year presidential mandate last May.

The last legislative elections date back to 2011.

Several subsequent votes were postponed due to security threats, financial difficulties, and the coronavirus epidemic.

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