Djibouti president wins sixth term landslide

Djibouti’s president, Ismael Omar Guelleh, has secured a sixth term in office after winning 97.8 per cent of the vote in the country’s presidential election, according to preliminary official results.

His only challenger, Mohamed Farah Samatar, received 2.19 per cent in a poll largely boycotted by major opposition parties.

Guelleh, 78, has been in power since 1999 and sought re-election after constitutional changes removed the upper age limit for presidential candidates.

The vote took place in Djibouti, a strategically located country along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which serves as a key route for global shipping and hosts multiple foreign military bases.

Officials said voter turnout exceeded 80 per cent, although the results are yet to be validated by the constitutional council.

Opposition leaders have long criticised the electoral process, with several parties boycotting elections since 2016 over concerns about political freedom.

The government has maintained that elections are conducted in line with national laws.

Guelleh’s re-election extends his nearly three-decade hold on power, making him one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

SOURCES: MRA