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André Kolingba

André Kolingba (born 1935) was president of the Central African Republic from 1981 to 1993.

He was an army commander when he deposed his predecessor, David Dacko in 1981. His rule saw the return of self-declared Emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa to the Central African Republic, and his sentence to life imprisonment.

In 1992 he allowed multi-party elections and lost them, but ignored the result. In 1993 he lost fresh elections to Ange-Felix Patasse, and this time let the result stand. Before he stood down, he released thousands of prisoners, including Bokassa.

In 2001 he attempted to organised a new coup against François Bozizé, the then president, but this failed. In 2003 he apologised to a reconcilation forum for incorrect actions he made during his rule.