Gontchomé Sahoulba
Encyclopedia
Gontchomé Sahoulba was a Chad
ian politician who played a prominent role during the decolonization in Chad. Born in 1909, he was a Moundang chief of Mayo-Kebbi
, in what was then the French colony
of Chad
.
(UDT), the first Africa
n political party, conservative in its outlook and favoured by the colonial administration, with other traditional leaders. The party had no true opposition in local elections until 1953. Sahoulba also served in the French Senate
from 1951-1959. From 1953 the UDT started to be superseded in French and popular support by the Chadian Social Action
(AST), to which Sahoulba adhered with other prominent politicians like Ahmed Koulamallah
, Bechi Sow and Ahmed Kotoko.
's nationalistic Chadian Progressive Party
(PPT). Sahoulba decided with others to leave the AST before the 1957 elections for the Territorial Assembly, forming the Groupement des Indépendants et Ruraux Tchadiens (GIRT). In the elections the PPT triumphed, while the GIRT came second with 9 seats out of 65.
Gabriel Lisette formed Chad's first African government, but it didn't last long: Sahoulba and Koulamallah formed a new party, the Chadian Popular Movement (Mouvement Populaire Tchadien or MPT) which following a motion of no confidence
presented February 11, 1959, was instrumental in causing the downfall of Lisette. Sahoulba succeeded him as President of the Provisional Government, forming a government of which he was the only southern Chadian. This exclusion of the south generated high resentment, and brought Koulamallah to ally himself with Lisette against Sahoulba; as a result, a new motion of no confidence
was approved with 35 votes against 30, and a new government was formed by Koulamallah March 13, 1959. Sahoulba now on ceased to play any significant role in Chadian politics; he was to die in 1963.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian politician who played a prominent role during the decolonization in Chad. Born in 1909, he was a Moundang chief of Mayo-Kebbi
Mayo-Kébbi Prefecture
This article refers to one of the former prefectures of Chad. From 2002 the country was divided into 18 regions.Mayo-Kébbi was one of the 14 prefectures of Chad. Located in the southwest of the country, Mayo-Kébbi covered an area of 30,105 square kilometers and had a population of 825,158 in 1993....
, in what was then the French colony
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
of Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
.
Political activity in UDT
Sahoulba entered national politics when political parties were officially accepted in 1946 by founding the Chadian Democratic UnionChadian Democratic Union
The Chadian Democratic Union is the second African political party ever created in Chad. It's ancestor can be traced in the Mutuelle Amicale Tchadienne , created in 1945 under the impulse of Joseph Brahim Seid by Mahamat Yakouma, Mustapha Batran, Abdoulaye Touré, Souleymane Naye, Adoum Tchéré and...
(UDT), the first Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n political party, conservative in its outlook and favoured by the colonial administration, with other traditional leaders. The party had no true opposition in local elections until 1953. Sahoulba also served in the French Senate
French Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
from 1951-1959. From 1953 the UDT started to be superseded in French and popular support by the Chadian Social Action
Chadian Social Action
The Chadian Social Action was an African political party founded in 1953 in Colonial Chad. It was born as an offshoot of the Chadian Democratic Union , and like the mother party it represented French commercial interest and Muslim and African traditional chiefs...
(AST), to which Sahoulba adhered with other prominent politicians like Ahmed Koulamallah
Ahmed Koulamallah
Ahmed Koulamallah was a prominent politician in Colonial Chad. He was the estranged son of the sultan of Baguirmi and the charismatic leader of the Tijaniyyah Islamic brotherhood in Chad....
, Bechi Sow and Ahmed Kotoko.
Political activity in GIRT
But the picture radically changed in 1956, with the electoral reforms that greatly expanded the number of eligible voters, giving strength to the Gabriel LisetteGabriel Lisette
Gabriel Francisco Lisette was a Chadian politician that played a key-role in the decolonization of Chad.Of African descent, he was born at Portobelo in Panama on April 2, 1919. He became a French colonial administrator, and in this role was posted to Chad in 1946...
's nationalistic Chadian Progressive Party
Chadian Progressive Party
The Chadian Progressive Party was the first African political party created in Chad, active from 1947 to 1973...
(PPT). Sahoulba decided with others to leave the AST before the 1957 elections for the Territorial Assembly, forming the Groupement des Indépendants et Ruraux Tchadiens (GIRT). In the elections the PPT triumphed, while the GIRT came second with 9 seats out of 65.
Gabriel Lisette formed Chad's first African government, but it didn't last long: Sahoulba and Koulamallah formed a new party, the Chadian Popular Movement (Mouvement Populaire Tchadien or MPT) which following a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
presented February 11, 1959, was instrumental in causing the downfall of Lisette. Sahoulba succeeded him as President of the Provisional Government, forming a government of which he was the only southern Chadian. This exclusion of the south generated high resentment, and brought Koulamallah to ally himself with Lisette against Sahoulba; as a result, a new motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
was approved with 35 votes against 30, and a new government was formed by Koulamallah March 13, 1959. Sahoulba now on ceased to play any significant role in Chadian politics; he was to die in 1963.