On July 18, 2026, Hygeddrtt Davimbalgbi published a post alleging that the opposition and 90% of the population of République centrafricaine were demanding coordinated international action to remove President Touadéra. This social media post specifically claimed that there was a widespread call for external intervention to facilitate the departure of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. The fact-checking cell #StopATènè subsequently investigated this claim, meticulously examining the assertions made within the post. Following its thorough investigation, #StopATènè concluded that the information asserting the opposition and 90% of the population requested international intervention to oust President Touadéra is false, finding no credible evidence to substantiate the significant claims.
The Disputed Social Media Post
The social media post in question, authored by Hygeddrtt Davimbalgbi, accused President Touadéra of tyranny, electoral fraud, and human rights violations. It specifically referenced his "political police" and the presence of Russian auxiliaries in République centrafricaine as justifications for the alleged demand for intervention. The author of the post further asserted that an overwhelming 90% of Central Africans desired external military action to facilitate President Touadéra's departure, drawing a stark comparison between the situation in République centrafricaine and that of Syria under Bashar al-Assad. This comparison aimed to show the perceived urgency and necessity of international involvement. At the time of verification by #StopATènè, the Facebook post had accumulated 88 shares, 25 comments, and 6 likes, indicating a limited but notable reach within social media circles. The post's content and its specific allegations formed the core of #StopATènè's inquiry.
Lack of Supporting Evidence
The fact-checking cell #StopATènè reported that it found no identifiable group operating under the signature 'Le collectif des Centrafricains,' which was referenced in the social media claim as the voice behind the demand for international action. This absence of an identifiable entity cast initial doubt on the legitimacy of the post's assertions. #StopATènè also stated that no petition or official statement was discovered to support the assertion that 90% of the population favored international intervention to remove President Touadéra. A full search for petitions related to the opposition and President Touadéra's potential departure yielded no relevant results that aligned with the social media post's claims. The search revealed only a call for peaceful resistance issued by Abdou Karim Meckassoua on July 15, 2026, and an interpellation by COSCIPAC, published on July 8, 2026. Neither of these documents supported the claim of widespread public demand for international intervention or the specific call for President Touadéra's removal via foreign military action. The investigation found no evidence of any collective or widespread public initiative advocating for such drastic measures.
Opposition Denies Involvement
Martin Ziguélé, president of the MLPC party and spokesperson for the principal opposition group BRDC, unequivocally denied the opposition's involvement in any call for President Touadéra's removal on July 24, 2026. Ziguélé challenged the assertion, stating, "L’opposition a appelé quand et où ? Où est la bande sonore ou le document support de ce supposé appel ?" (When and where did the opposition make such a call? Where is the audio recording or the supporting document for this supposed appeal?). His statement directly refutes claims that opposition forces were advocating for coordinated international action to oust the President. This strong denial by a key opposition figure, representing a major political bloc, directly contradicts the social media post that alleged widespread demand for intervention from both the populace and the opposition. The absence of any official communication or public declaration from the opposition supporting such a call further reinforces #StopATènè's conclusion regarding the falsity of the claim.
