On the morning of April 10, President Guelleh was declared the winner of Friday's presidential election in Djibouti. The election was marked by a boycott of the opposition. The Head of State will begin his fifth term.
About 215 Djiboutian voters went to the polls on April 000 to elect the country's president. The results were announced the next morning. The count had started as soon as the polling stations closed on Friday night.
It will therefore be, without much surprise, Guelleh who will again lead the destinies of Djibouti for his fifth term since his rise to power in 1999. The candidate obtained 167 votes, “President Ismail Omar Guelleh obtained 535% of the votes. votes, ”Interior Minister Moumin Ahmed Cheick told RTD on Saturday, adding that the results will be confirmed and published by the Constitutional Council.
A peaceful election
Foreign and domestic election observers said last night that "the process went smoothly, with no reports of misconduct." The count had started immediately after the end of the votes in the last office.
In the country of the Horn of Africa, which overlooks one of the busiest trade routes in the world, at the crossroads between the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula, the election took place without any real stake. This explains the low attendance towards the polling stations.
In a social media post, a delighted Guelleh wrote: “Thank you for your trust, thank you for Djibouti! Let's continue together! He also praised the peaceful conduct of the election after having voted himself in the capital. Dressed in the traditional white clothes, he said he was very confident for the victory. And for good reason, he was sure to win it.
Last term on an honorable record?
Guelleh and his extended family have controlled Djibouti with an iron fist since 1999. The latest wave of opposition protests in 2020 had been brutally suppressed. He had the presidential term limit abolished in 2010. However, he introduced in the same text an age limit of 75 years, which would deprive the president of future participations in the elections.
So far, Ismail Omar Guelleh has won the polls with at least 73% of the vote in every presidential election he has contested. The traditional opposition had expressed its concern in view of the ballot the day before yesterday, which would not be very representative or fair according to it. Indeed, although the government insists on participation in this election, the 215 so-called voters yesterday represent only 000% of potential Djiboutian voters.
However, Guelleh's record remains honorable, Djibouti having experienced economic success despite the recession.. And if we look closely at the neighboring countries, we could even venture to say that Guelleh made good use of his powers.
It was therefore difficult for an invisible and divided opposition to advocate change and alternation.