ANGE-FELIX PATASSE

Ange-Félix Patassé was born on 25 January 1937 in Paoua, the capital of the Ouham Pendé province in what was then known as Ubangi-Shari in French Equatorial Africa. He belonged to the Sara-Kaba ethnic group, which is predominant in the region. His father, Paul Ngakoutou, served in the Free French military during World War II and later worked for the colonial administration, while his mother, Véronique Goumba, was from the Kare ethnic group. Growing up in Paoua, Patassé formed strong connections with the local Kaba community, which later became a significant support base in his political career.

After completing his education in Ubangi-Shari, he moved to France, where he studied at an agricultural institute in Puy-de-Dôme. He earned a Technical Baccalaureate, enabling him to pursue further studies at the Superior Academy of Tropical Agriculture in Nogent-sur-Marne and later at the National Agronomical Institute in Paris. Specializing in zootechnology, Patassé received a diploma from the Center for the Artificial Insemination of Domestic Animals in Rambouillet, finishing his studies in 1959, just before the Central African Republic gained independence.

Patassé entered the Central African civil service in 1959 as an agricultural engineer, advancing to inspector by 1963. He quickly rose to prominence under President David Dacko, assuming various ministerial roles. After Jean-Bédel Bokassa staged a coup in 1966, Patassé remained influential and even served as Prime Minister of Bokassa's Imperial Government, briefly converting to Islam and adopting the name Mustafa Patassé.

Following Bokassa's ousting in 1979, Patassé was placed under house arrest by Dacko but managed to escape into exile. He returned in 1981 to contest the presidential elections, claiming a notable but disputed portion of the vote. After a coup by General André Kolingba in 1982, Patassé attempted a coup himself and sought refuge in the French Embassy, leading to another period of exile. He returned to the Central African Republic in 1992, amid calls for political reform, and ran for president as the head of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People.

Patassé's determination paid off when he won the presidential election in September 1993, becoming the first democratically elected leader in the country’s history. His administration, supported mainly by the northern populace, promoted his image as a populist leader against the privileged southern elites. However, his tenure was marked by increasing tensions as he replaced many southerners in government positions, which led to discontent. Although his first term saw some economic progress, it was marred by three mutinies in 1996-1997 and a reliance on foreign military support, which ultimately eroded his popularity. He was re-elected in 1999 but faced numerous challenges, including coup attempts in 2001 and 2002.

In March 2003, while attending a conference in Niger, Patassé was ousted by General François Bozizé. He fled to Togo and was barred from the 2005 elections due to documentation issues. He was later accused of embezzlement and war crimes related to violence during the 2002 coup attempt. Patassé returned to the Central African Republic in December 2008 to engage in a national dialogue and expressed his commitment to a peaceful political resolution. He aimed to run in the 2010 elections but finished second in January 2011 against Bozizé while facing health challenges.

Patassé was married twice, first to Lucienne Patassé, with whom he had seven children, and later to Angèle Patassé, a Togolese woman who became the first lady during his presidency. The couple had three children together. Patassé lived in exile in Togo from 2003 until Angèle's death in 2007. He passed away on April 5, 2011, in Cameroon while seeking medical treatment, leaving behind a complex legacy as a leader who navigated the turbulent waters of Central African politics. Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ange-F%C3%A9lix_Patass%C3%A9