A presidential election was held in Chad in 1996, occurring in two rounds, the first on June 2 and the second on July 3. This was the first multiparty presidential election in the history of Chad since its independence. It occurred at the end of a long transitional process and was repeatedly delayed. The election was won by the incumbent PresidentIdriss Déby, who easily defeated a prominent southern politician, Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué, in the second round. Déby benefited from the support of another southern politician, Saleh Kebzabo, who placed third in the first round. The election was marred by widespread and credible reports of electoral fraud and government intimidation of opposition forces, confirmed by international observers.
Following his victory, Déby was sworn in on August 8, 1996.[1]
