Djibouti’s Guelleh Wins Sixth Term in Landslide Vote

By skika Reporter

President Ismail Omar Guelleh has secured a sixth consecutive term after winning a landslide victory in Djibouti’s presidential election, extending his nearly three-decade rule over the strategically located Horn of Africa nation.

Official results released Saturday show the 78-year-old leader garnered 97.8 percent of the vote in Friday’s poll, defeating his only challenger, Mohamed Farah Samatar, who received 2.2 percent.

“Re-elected,” Guelleh declared in a social media post even before the final tally was announced, as early results had already indicated a commanding lead.

Guelleh, often referred to by his initials IOG, has ruled Djibouti since 1999, when he succeeded the country’s first president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, under whom he previously served as chief of staff.

Over the years, Guelleh has leveraged Djibouti’s strategic position along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to transform the small nation into a major global military and maritime hub.

Despite covering just 23,000 square kilometres and housing around one million people, Djibouti hosts military bases from several global powers, including the United States, China, France, Japan and Italy—providing the country with significant economic and security benefits.

The election outcome was widely anticipated, with little visible support for Samatar, leader of the Unified Democratic Centre (CDU), a party without parliamentary representation.

While Guelleh’s campaign drew large crowds and dominated the capital, his opponent struggled to gain traction, with only modest turnouts reported at campaign events.

The president’s previous re-election in 2021 was similarly decisive, with more than 97 percent of the vote, though it was boycotted by much of the opposition.

Although Guelleh had earlier indicated he might step down this year, a constitutional amendment passed in November removed the upper age limit of 75 for presidential candidates, allowing him to run again.

Critics, including the Djibouti League of Human Rights, have described the election as lacking genuine competition, with allegations that the political environment restricts dissent.

Despite this, some voters expressed support for the incumbent, citing stability in a region often marked by conflict.

Guelleh’s leadership has been credited with maintaining relative stability, but it has also faced scrutiny over governance issues, including high unemployment—estimated at around 70 percent among young people—and rising national debt, much of it owed to China.

Djibouti’s economy heavily depends on its ports, which serve as a key maritime outlet for neighbouring Ethiopia, accounting for roughly 70 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Human rights organisations have also accused the government of suppressing opposition voices and favouring the majority Issa ethnic group over the Afar minority.

With his latest victory, Guelleh is set to extend his long-standing grip on power, reinforcing his influence over one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors.