Minister of Transport and Equipment Charles Massi of Central African Republic
Massi was born in Baboua, Nana-Mambéré Prefecture.
After the victory of Ange-Felix Patassé of the Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) in the August 1993 presidential election, Massi joined the government of Prime Minister Jean-Luc Mandaba as Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in October 1993, remaining in this position until June 1996.
After Bozizé took power, Massi was elected as Second Vice-President of the National Transitional Council on 14 June 2003, serving in this capacity until the new National Assembly was installed in June 2005.
Massi was again elected to the National Assembly from Baboua in the second round of the 2005 parliamentary election, held in May, receiving 52.
A few months after his dismissal, Massi was appointed as Political Coordinator of the Union of Democratic Forces for the Rally (UFDR) rebel group on 12 May 2008; FODEM responded to this by suspending Massi from the party on 16 May, and he was expelled from the Presidential Majority on 18 May FODEM established a provisional political bureau on 22 May 2008 with Joseph Garba Ouangolé as President, and it expelled Massi from its ranks.
If Charles Massi is head of state, there will always be problems," he added, saying that Central African politicians must put aside the egocentric-based spirit of man and objectively look at what is necessary to be done for the future of the country.
After Massi was appointed as Political Coordinator of the Union of Democratic Forces for the Rally (UFDR) rebel group, FODEM rejected this move and expelled Massi from the party; it established a provisional political bureau on 22 May 2008 with Joseph Garba Ouangolé as President.
Massi was among 21 people who, together with former President Andre Kolingba, were sentenced to death in August 2002 in connection with a coup attempt by Kolingba on 28 May 2001 against then President Ange-Felix Patasse.
Massi has since been named to a coalition government set up by Bozize under veteran opposition leader Abel Goumba, one of the first steps CAR's new leader took towards reconciling his country and restoring stability after years of mutinies, coups and progressive economic disintegration.
ahead of the presidential election billed for 19 March.
I must go back to my country to make my contribution to the new authorities with a view to Central African Republics reconstruction, Massi said in a telephone interview late on Wednesday.
Massi was a mining and energy minister in Patasses first government and reputedly close to the ousted leader of CAR until he founded Fodem at the end of 1997.
Massi was in France for health reasons when a bid was launched in Bangui to topple Patasse in May 2OO1.