20101231
reuters

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chad's election monitoring committee sacked the head of the electoral commission, according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Thursday, amid allegations he manipulated preparations for upcoming elections.

Chad's main opposition coalition had earlier this week demanded Ngarmajiel Gami's resignation saying he had fraudulently added eight people to the candidate list ahead of parliamentary elections in February and April's presidential poll, at the behest of President Idriss Deby.

Saleh Kebzabo, spokesman for the opposition coalition, said on Thursday there would be a meeting on January 3 to choose a new electoral commission president.

A letter from the election monitoring committee addressed to Gami said:

"After emergency meetings December 29 and 30, the monitoring committee...has decided to terminate your services as president of the electoral commission."

Deby, in power since a 1990 coup, is expected to seek a new term in office.

Chad is one of several countries in the semi-arid Sahel region that languish at the bottom of the United Nations' Human Development Index of quality of life.

The country formed the election monitoring committee in 2007, giving it the power to ensure the independence of the electoral commission.