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Grouping of Rural and Independent Chadians

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Grouping of Rural and Independent Chadians
Groupement des indépendants et ruraux tchadien
AbbreviationGIRT
LeaderGontchomé Sahoulba
Founded1956
Merged intoChadian Socialist Union

The Grouping of Rural and Independent Chadians (French: Groupement des indépendants et ruraux tchadien, GIRT) was a political party in Chad.

History

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The party was founded in 1956, when the Gontchomé Sahoulba-led faction broke away from Chadian Social Action. The party mainly represented interests of traditional chiefs from southern Chad.[1]

The party was part of the Entente alliance for the 1957 Territorial Assembly elections, alongside the Chadian Progressive Party (PPT). The Entente won 57 of the 65 seats, of which GIRT took nine. However, the party left the Entente and joined the Chadian Socialist Union, a bloc of anti-PPT parties. Later this group evolved into the African National Party (PNA). The former GIRT leader Djibrine Kerallah became the vice chair of the PNA.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Samuel Decalo (1980) "Regionalism, Political Decay, and Civil Strife in Chad" The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol 18, No 1, pp23–56
  2. ^ Kidane Mengisteab & Cyril K. Daddieh (1999) State Building and Democratization in Africa: Faith, Hope, and Realities, Praeger, p165