Nairobi, April 24 -- The death of Chadian president Idriss Deby Itno from injuries sustained on the battlefield just days before he was to start his sixth term in office has been met with shock and incredulity. The Chadian military announced immediately that it would form a transition government headed by Deby's 37-year-old son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, for the next 18 months. Like his father, Mahamat is highly ranked in the military. He is a decorated general.
The military's decision already conflicts with the constitution, which provides that, on the death of a president, an election should be held within 90 days.
Idriss Deby was born to a herder in the northern Chadian desert in 1952 - eight years before Chad gained independence from ...