Djibouti’s long-serving president, Ismail Guelleh, has secured a sixth term in office after winning 97.8% of the vote in Friday’s presidential election, according to official results released on Saturday.
Guelleh defeated his sole challenger, Mohamed Farah Samatar, who garnered just 2.2% of the vote, based on figures from the interior ministry.
Declaring himself “re-elected” in a social media post ahead of the official announcement, Guelleh had already taken a commanding lead in early results.
The 78-year-old leader has ruled the small Africa country for 27 years, maintaining a firm grip on power.
Under his leadership, Djibouti has capitalised on its strategic location to become a key international military and maritime hub, hosting foreign bases from countries including France, the United States, China, Japan and Italy.
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Guelleh previously won the 2021 election with more than 97% of the vote in a poll largely boycotted by opposition groups.
Although he had earlier indicated plans to step down, a constitutional amendment in November removed the presidential age limit, enabling him to run again.
Despite minor delays that saw some polling stations open late and extend voting hours, the outcome of the election was widely anticipated.
Guelleh, popularly known as IOG, cast his ballot at City Hall under tight security, accompanied by his wife.
Leader of the Unified Democratic Centre, Samatar voted earlier but struggled to gain significant public support.
Campaigning reflected the disparity between the candidates, with Guelleh drawing large crowds, while Samatar’s events attracted only limited attendance.
African News
