Comoros’ President Azali Assoumani has secured a fourth five-year term, declared the winner by the country’s electoral body following Sunday’s election. The announcement, made on Tuesday, revealed Assoumani’s victory against five opponents, further extending his rule over the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.
Having come to power in 1999 through a coup, Assoumani has faced criticism for alleged government crackdowns on dissent, a claim vehemently denied by his administration. The recent election results, published by the national electoral commission on Tuesday, indicated that Assoumani garnered 62.97% of the vote.
Comoros, with a population of approximately 800,000, has a complex political history marked by around 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. The nation is also a significant source of irregular migration to the nearby French island of Mayotte.
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However, Assoumani’s victory is not without controversy. Mouigni Baraka Said Soilihi, one of Assoumani’s opponents, dismissed the results, stating, “We cannot talk about results because there was no election.” Soilihi accused the election of irregularities, including the premature closure of polls before the legally prescribed time.
Other opposition leaders had earlier raised concerns about ballot stuffing and called for a boycott of the poll, alleging favoritism by the election commission towards the ruling party. The commission has consistently denied these charges.
Houmed Msaidie, Assoumani’s campaign director, refuted the allegations and urged accusers to provide evidence supporting their claims. The post-election atmosphere in Comoros remains tense as political stakeholders exchange accusations and challenge the legitimacy of the electoral process.
As Comoros navigates the aftermath of the contested election, international observers and citizens alike will be closely monitoring developments to assess the impact on the nation’s political landscape and the potential for addressing concerns raised by opposition figures.
