on april 1, 2001, kebzabo was again nominated as the undr's presidential candidate for that year's election. he was subsequently removed from his position as minister of state for agriculture on april 8; the other undr members of the government were also dismissed. prior to this he was considered the second ranking member of the government, after the prime minister. it was speculated that kebzabo chose to run for president on this occasion because he had been unsuccessful in negotiating with déby for the post of prime minister. kebzabo later said that he had participated in the government in the belief that by doing so he could undermine déby from within the system, and that as a result he believed the undr was a "permanent target" of déby.