Happy Sunday... which is also a public holiday.

In the Central African Republic, there’s a penchant for "opening doors"—though one has to wonder: was it really necessary to officially declare a Sunday—a day that is, by definition, already a day off—a public holiday? Of course, this doesn't apply to certain professions—nurses, for instance—who have to work regardless of any official decree. In short, welcome to the land of the absurd. It’s particularly baffling given that the country claims to be secular, yet it celebrates religious holidays—it makes no sense. There are other contradictions, too: a man getting married is expected to provide a dowry (giving gifts to his future in-laws); in some parts of the country, women are subjected to genital mutilation; and household chores—cooking, raising children, and so on—are left entirely to women. The country asserts that men aHappy Sunday... which is also a public holiday.nd women are equal, yet it accepts polygamy—take, for example, the polygamist president, Touadéra. There is a clear disconnect between official rhetoric and actual practice. It is a country where "pretending" is the norm—maintaining appearances to please "the whites" (the so-called "partners"—a euphemism for various types of backers)—while doing something else entirely. It is a place where arbitrary rule prevails.
Conclusion: This gap between official discourse and daily reality does not emerge from nowhere. It is the product of a hypocritical legal pluralism, in which modern law—modeled on international standards to entice foreign donors—constantly capitulates to the weight of tradition and customary law. To secure development aid, our leaders engage in "counter-diplomacy": they sign charters on gender equality and secularism, all the while knowing full well that, on the ground, nothing will ever change. It is the art of modernizing texts to reassure those on the outside, while never daring to disrupt the conservative structures that safeguard the social peace upon which the regime’s power rests. Have a good Sunday... which happens to be a public holiday.


Analysis by: Sofia VANDENBROECK | LNC



For: FatimaLamineHebdo
Date: November 1, 2026
Copyright ©: 2014 - 2026 All rights reserved: Lamine Media

Back