Following a recent comment criticizing the Chadian government over the delay in the transition into civil government, German Ambassador, Gordon Kricke has been ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.
Chad’s Communication Ministry said on Twitter late on Friday, “This decision of the government is motivated by the discourteous attitude and the non-respect of diplomatic customs.”
Kricke had criticised delays in holding elections after the coup and a ruling last year that will allow interim military leader Mahamat Idriss Deby to run for elections in 2024.
Chad is one of the countries in Sub-Sahara Africa that has been regularly beset for decades by offensives from a multitude of rebel groups, a situation that has seen military incursions into government.
An initial 18-month transition period was set for elections when Deby seized power after his father, Idriss Deby, was killed on the battlefield during a conflict with insurgents, ending decades of authoritarian rule.
But the junta extended the timeline by two years last year and set elections for October 2024.
The extension has instigated protests in which dozens of civilians have been killed, while the international community has expressed concerns.
Neigbours, Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso are also under military rule but social unrest hasn’t stopped despite the military incursion.