Touadéra’s Speech

By Isabelle DUTHEIL | LNC

(Bangui, August 15, 2026 | LNC) Last Thursday, marking the 66th anniversary of the Central African Republic's independence, Touadéra called on his compatriots to change their behavior and mindsets: "The courageous choice we have made together shapes a stronger, fairer State," Touadéra declared. He added that this evolution must not be limited to political reform. "This institutional change is not a mere formality; it entails a radical—indeed, comprehensive—transformation of our country." He further stated: "We are not repairing the old system; we are building a new Central African Republic," and: "No law, road, or industry can transform the Central African Republic if we do not first transform our way of thinking and acting." In short, he urged Central Africans to break with what he termed the "old demons of the past," citing "civic irresponsibility, corruption, laziness, a culture of doing the bare minimum, tribalism, and nepotism." Yet, behind the presidential call for "renewal" and a moral awakening, a shadow remains: that of structural crises left unaddressed. By attributing the country's stagnation to issues of mindset or civic irresponsibility, the Head of State carefully sidesteps uncomfortable questions. What about access to education in a country ravaged by crises? What about endemic poverty and the daily struggle for survival faced by a population forced to fend for itself? For many observers, equating State failings with citizen behavior smacks of evasion, turning an anniversary address into a political platform far removed from the reality of the average household's struggle to make ends meet.

LNC

Photo: Isidore M'BAYO/LNC ©

Date: August 15, 2026

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