Fran�ois Boziz�

Fran�ois Boziz�

Fran�ois Boziz�
Became President:	March 15, 2003
Predecessor:	Ange-F�lix Patass�
Date of Birth:	1946
Place of Birth:

Fran�ois Boziz� (1946- ) is the current president of the Central African Republic and this country's 6th ruler (counting the second term of David Dacko).

Table of contents

1 Kolingba's Rule and the Elections 2 Supporting Patass� 3 Against Patass� 4 The Final Coup

Kolingba's Rule and the Elections

During the military rule of Andr� Kolingba, Boziz� actively supported the opposition, leading a coup in 1983. The coup failed, however, and Boziz� suffered grotesque torture. Like Ange-F�lix Patass� (the man whom he would later depose), Boziz� spent most of this time in exile in Togo.

Kolingba held elections in 1993, and Boziz� became a candidate. He lost to Patass�, who became president.

Supporting Patass�

For many years, Boziz� was considered a supporter of Patass�. The military leader helped the president suppress revolts in 1996 and 1997. Boziz� was then named the Armed Forces Chief of Staff.

Boziz� showed no activity against Patass� and frequently crushed revolts against the president.

Against Patass�

However, in May 2001, Boziz� led a coup against Patass�. It was crushed with the help of Libyan troops, but Boziz� refused to answer questions and in November he fled to Chad with 300 supporters.

From Chad, Boziz� frequently made raids into the Central African Republic throughout 2002. In October, he launched an attack on the capital, Bangui. With the help of Libya and the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (a rebel group from the Republic of the Congo), Patass� was able to stop the attack.

Patass� accused President Idriss D�by of Chad of helping the rebels, a charge which D�by denied.

The Final Coup

Patass� went to a meeting in Niger but he was not able to return. Boziz� and his troops had taken control of the country and the airport. By now, about 50 people have been killed.

Patass� took refuge in Cameroon and then Togo.