Mahamat Déby
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno (Arabic: محمد إدريس ديبي إتنو; born 4 April 1984)[3] is a Chadian politician and military officer who has been the leader of Chad since 2021, first as President of the Transitional Military Council from 2021 to 2022, then as Transitional President from 2022 to 2024, and then as the 7th President since 2024 following his victory in the presidential elections.[4] He is widely known in Chad by his nickname Kaka.[5] He is also the General Secretary of the Patriotic Salvation Movement since 2022. He gained power on 20 April 2021, succeeding his father and predecessor, Idriss Déby, who died in action while commanding troops in the Northern Chad offensive. He previously served as the second in-command of the military for the Chadian Intervention in Northern Mali (FATIM).
Mahamat Déby
Vacant
Himself
(as President of the TMC)
Haroun Kabadi
Haroun Kabadi
Albert Pahimi Padacké
Idriss Déby
(as President)
Himself
(as Transitional President)
Patriotic Salvation Movement (2022–present)
Three wives, including Dahabaya Oumar Souni
Idriss Déby
(Father)
Kaka
Third Armoured Brigade
Fifth Air Brigade
Free Arab Volountiers
Early and personal life[edit]
Mahamat Déby was born in 1984, the son of Idriss Déby, who was then commander-in-chief of the Chadian Ground Forces, and a Gourane mother.[6]
Mahamat Déby is polygamous and has three wives.[7][8] His first wife is an ethnic Zaghawa woman.[7] In 2010, Déby married his second wife, a Central African woman and the daughter of Abakar Sabone—a former Central African Republic government minister, advisor to Michel Djotodia, and leader of the Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice rebel group.[7] It is believed that Déby and his second wife have five children.[7]
Mahamat Déby's third wife, Dahabaya Oumar Souni, is a journalist and media advisor who is considered the First Lady of Chad.[7][8] Souni worked closely with her late father-in-law, President Idriss Déby, and was promoted to director of public relations for the office of the presidency from December 2019 until his death.[7] In May 2021, Dahabaya Oumar Souni was appointed as media advisor to the presidency of the Transitional Military Council and now works alongside her husband, President Mahamat Déby, as a member of his group of technical advisors.[8][9][10]
Military career[edit]
Mahamat Déby first enrolled at the Joint Grouping of military schools in Chad. He subsequently received training in France, at the military school of Aix-en-Provence. Upon his return he was enrolled in second promotion of semi direct of the school of officer inter arme and later was appointed to the service branch of the Security of State Institutions (DGSSIE), as a deputy commander of its infantry group. His first combat experience took place in April 2006 when rebels attacked the capital city of Chad and he later participated in combat in eastern Chad along with General Abu Bakr al Said, then director of police, Mahamat was given the rank of major afterward. In May 2009, he was made brigadier general and he shared command of Chadian forces during the Battle of Am Dam, where the army defeated the rebels.[11]
Following his victory, he was appointed in command of the armored squadrons and bodyguards of the SERS. In January 2013, he was appointed second in command of the Chadian special forces in Mali under general Oumar Bikimo. On 22 February, he led his army against rebels in the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains in northern Mali leading to the Battle of Ifoghas. They eliminated a rebel base said to be of "significant importance", inflicting heavy losses upon the rebels but also losing twenty-six men in the process, including Abdel Aziz Hassane Adam, a commander of special forces. Mahamat took full command of the FATIM and has since been leading operations against rebels in the North.[12]
