Chad constitutional council upholds Deby re-election

N'Djamena (AFP) - Chad's Constitutional Council has upheld President Idriss Deby's re-election to a fifth term, confirming the results of last month's vote that the opposition had challenged.

In final results, the council said Chad's leader of 26 years won 59.92 percent of the vote, compared with 12.77 percent for opposition leader Saleh Kebzabo and 10.61 percent for Laoukein Kourayo Medard, mayor of Moundou city.

In announcing the results, the council rejected an appeal by eight opposition candidates to invalidate the April 10 election over voting irregularities.

Council president Nagoum Yamassoum said all appeals "must be individual" and that a group request was "not admissible".

The opposition called Deby's re-election in the first round of the ballot an "electoral stick-up", saying their own count showed no candidate won outright at the first stage.

Kebzabo and five other failed presidential candidates called for a general strike on Thursday to protest the results.

The election campaign was marred by a clampdown on demonstrations by unions and rights groups demanding a change of leadership and democratic reforms. Several leading activists were arrested. Some have since left the country.

The situation in the oil-producing semi-desert country, a key player in the fight against west African jihadist groups, remains tense.

Amnesty International and the Chadian League of Human Rights have reported the disappearance of several soldiers and police officers suspected of having supported opposition candidates.