DJIBOUTI ELECTION: GUELLEH CRUISES TO SIXTH CONSECUTIVE TERM
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh has declared victory in Saturday’s election, securing what is set to be a sixth consecutive term in the strategically important Horn of Africa nation.
The 78-year-old announced he had been “re-elected” in a social media post after early results from Friday’s vote showed him with a commanding lead over his little-known challenger.
Guelleh has ruled the country of about one million people for 27 years, consolidating power while positioning Djibouti as a key international military and maritime hub due to its strategic location.
The 23,000-square-kilometre nation hosts military bases from several countries, including France, the United States, China, Japan, and Italy, which provide significant economic and security influence.
With about six percent of votes counted, results released by the electoral commission and tallied by AFP indicated Guelleh had won over 96 percent of the vote, putting him firmly on course for another term.
His opponent, Mohamed Farah Samatar of the Unified Democratic Centre (CDU), which has no parliamentary seats, trailed with around 3.5 percent.
Guelleh won the 2021 election with more than 97 percent of the vote in a poll largely boycotted by opposition parties. Although he previously suggested he might step down this year, a constitutional amendment in November removed the age limit of 75 for presidential candidates.
Despite minor delays at some polling stations, the outcome was widely seen as inevitable. Guelleh voted in the capital alongside his wife, while Samatar cast his ballot earlier in the day.
Campaigning was heavily in favour of the incumbent, with widespread posters and large rallies, while the opposition struggled to gain traction.
Some voters expressed strong support for Guelleh, citing his policies and leadership, while others admitted little knowledge of his opponent.
Guelleh has faced minimal opposition since taking power in 1999, succeeding the country’s first president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon. He was also re-elected unopposed in 2005.
While some observers view his continued rule as a source of stability in a volatile region, analysts point to the lack of a clear successor as a key factor in his long tenure.
However, the country continues to face challenges, including high youth unemployment—estimated at around 70 percent—and growing national debt, much of it linked to China.
Djibouti’s economy relies heavily on its ports, which account for around 70 percent of GDP and serve as a key maritime gateway for landlocked Ethiopia.
Human rights groups have accused the government of restricting dissent, while critics allege that Guelleh’s administration favours the Issa ethnic group over the Afar minority.
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