"In general, voters decided to stay in their homes because they say that they have been voting in the previous election, but there has been no change. So, there was no point in them going out to vote," says DW's Fred Muvuyi in the capital N'Djamena.
and had no kind words for President Deby. "Even if I voted, there would be no change. This is a sham election," he told DW.
"We have known his leadership style for 30 years. He has squandered all the country's resources to buy weapons and enrich his relatives. The other Chadians have only become poorer."
Jean Pierre is convinced that the election will not bring change or a new leader. "The real candidates and the ones people should have voted for have withdrawn from this election. So, there was absolutely no need to vote," he said.
Chadian troops are part of the multinational task force fighting jihadis in west AfricaImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Delay
In N'Djamena, another young voter told DW that he has voted in previous elections hoping for a better life, but nothing has changed. "I have voted five times [in previous elections], but nothing has changed. I'm young, and I have my degrees. But now I'm just doing menial jobs like bricklaying. I want something to change, but there's no point in voting. It doesn't change anything, and I'm tired of the situation," he said.
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Boycott campaign
In Moundou, Chad's economic metropolis, Tamtoloum Mbainda is delighted that voters heeded the opposition's call for a boycott.
"Moundou is the second-largest city in the country, but we have neither running water nor electricity. There are many things that don't work. So, if the population reacts this way [doesn't vote], I think it's a strong call for those in power to rethink their strategy," Mbainda told DW.
In Abeche, in the east of the country, voter turnout was also low. Abderahim Awat Alboury, a teacher by profession, told DW, "there are places where you could only find one voter. Alboury is convinced that "everything will be done so that Idris Deby wins in the first vote count."
Rights activists say Idris Deby's win is a foregone conclusion. Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among those who have voiced criticism.
Opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo told DW that their boycott of the election and low turnout exposed incumbent president Idris Deby. "He should notice that the Chadian people disavowed him and that the people disapprove and reject him," Kebzabo told DW in an interview.
"The Chadian people have demonstrated their maturity today, even though the army and police who were deployed all over the villages of Chad tried to intimidate them. We estimate that, in the best case, less than 10% of Chadians voted, said Kebzabo."
Kebzabo wrote on Twitter that the images circulating of polling stations deserted by voters mark an important victory in the opposition's call for a boycott of the vote.
Kebzabo said Idris Deby should draw conclusions from the low turnout. "We were the only party that believed in the boycott campaign. For this, we traveled thousands of kilometers and our teams across the country, except in three or four regions established. The people listened to us and today I can even say: They answered our call!"
"We in the opposition have, of course, long since started to think about the time after the election. We will keep up the pressure and will not give up at such a favorable moment," the opposition leader added.
Support from allies
But 25-year-old saleswoman Bernadette told AFP she backed Deby because "thanks to him I am free to walk wherever I want, day or night, in total security."
Adele Moyou Allarene, a first-time voter, told DW, "I want there to be more peace in Chad. There is already peace, but we need more than that. We need social cohesion."
Chadian President Idris Deby rallied his supporters to turn up in an election boycotted by the oppositionImage: Renaud Masbeye Boybeye/AFP/Getty Images
Chad has struggled with poverty and instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. A former rebel and career soldier who seized power in a coup in 1990, Deby has twice, with French help, thwarted attempts to oust him.
Deby has campaigned on a promise of peace and security in a region that has been rocked by jihadi insurgencies. Because of his help in the fight against Islamists in the Sahel, especially in Mali and Niger, the former army chief is held in high esteem in France and by heads of state in the Sahel.
But Deby has largely lost support among the population. Mismanagement, corruption, nepotism, and falling oil prices have massively exacerbated poverty.
Chad: A country with unknown wealth
Chad remains one of the poorest countries in the world — despite huge oil deposits. But the commodities boom also hides the view of its almost unknown wealth. A journey of discovery in pictures.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Chadians impoverished amid oil wealth
Chad, a country in central Africa, is often equated with violence and instability. It remains one of the poorest countries in the world — despite huge oil deposits. But the commodities boom also hides the view of its almost unknown wealth. A journey of discovery in pictures.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Time Zone in the Ennedi Plateau
Time seems to stand still on the Ennedi Plateau, a sandstone desert in the northeast of the country. Here, people and animals live their lives in harmony with the natural rhythms of days and years. There’s no rush, no counting of minutes. Time does pass but at a different speed.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Survivors
Kalait is the last trading post before the great desert to the north. Only sand and dust are seen here. A scorching sun, aridity and temperatures above 50° are not uncommon around here. Living in this environment is unimaginable. Nevertheless, there are living creatures who defy the harsh conditions of the desert.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Source of Life
Guelta d'Archei is probably the Sahara’s most famous watering hole. It lies in the middle of the rocky Ennedi Plateau. To reach this place one needs a camel or jeep. This natural source of water is the basis of life for plants, animals and humans. The Guelta d'Archei bears witness to the past, to a time when the area was once greener and home to the Nile crocodiles. Today only a handful remain.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Migrating herds
Millions of animals such as cattle, camels, goats and sheep make up a large part of the country's inhabitants. For many Chadians, cattle means wealth and a safe investment which can be sold whenever necessary. The animals can be seen at water points, wells, roads and markets.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Fertile fields
Rice is one of the major grains grown in the fertile plains of the river Logone in southern Chad. Logone is the second largest river in the country. Every year it provides the Chadian population with arable land, ensuring the nutrition of whole towns and villages. Every year, 150,000 tones of rice are sown and harvested by hand from this area alone.
Image: Albrecht Harder
White Gold
Chad is dependent on oil. But the most important export commodity is cotton. The state enterprise 'Coton Tchad' buys handpicked balls, cleans them and then exports the cotton. Many villages in the south of the country have brought some prosperity and independence to their households through the cultivation of cotton that is practiced on a monoculture basis.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Connected to home
Gaoui is a village located ten kilometers northeast of the capital N'Djamena. Human beings and nature seem to be one here. Traditions and shared ethnic and linguistic roots hold the villages together — so strongly that even former residents help make their village a better place for future generations.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Handwork
Under the scorching sun, farmers work near the eastern city of Biltine. Most own one or two acres of fields. From sowing and harvesting, to drying and threshing - everything is done by hand. Some produce, such as peanuts, is cultivated by women. At the end of the rainy season everybody joins in to harvest the crops.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Market day
Almost everything is traded in Abeche: millet, maize, rice, cassava, beans, bananas, papayas - depending on the season. The town, which borders Sudan, is traditionally one of the most important commercial hubs of the Sahel. Traders come here to sell their cattle, spices, oil, milk and baskets. Sometimes there are also modern imported goods. At the end of market day it's time to celebrate.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Wisdom
The average life expectancy of the Chadian population is 48 years. The older the person, the greater the respect from the community. Traditionally they act as judges and pass on their valuable experience, their stories and values. Their faces convey dignity and wisdom.
Image: Albrecht Harder
Future generations
The average age of the population is 16.3 years. Most Chadians regard children as their greatest wealth. They exist only in the plural, there are no individual children. At Gagal in the southeast of Chad, they form the majority of the population. Chad’s young people represent tremendous potential for new ideas and the future. Author: Albrecht Harder/im - Editor: Susan Houlton
