Djibouti President Wins Re-Election With 97.8% Of Vote, State Media Reports

AP

Djibouti's incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh casts his vote at the City Hall polling station during the presidential election in Mouloud, Djibouti, on Friday, 10 April 2026.

Djibouti’s President, Ismaël Omar Guelleh, has won re-election with 97.8% of the vote, according to the state broadcaster, Radio Télévision Djibouti, securing a sixth term and extending his 27-year rule over the small but strategically significant East African country.

Guelleh posted an image of himself with the French word "RÉÉLU" on X, which translates to "re-elected".

The country, with a population of fewer than one million, is situated on the Gulf of Aden at the entrance to the Red Sea and hosts military bases belonging to the United States, China, France, Italy and Japan. Since 2023, several commercial vessels damaged in attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants have docked there.

The victory of the 78-year-old Guelleh — who was selected in 1999 to succeed his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, and whose party dominates state institutions — had long been widely anticipated.

Last October, parliament voted to abolish the 75-year age limit for presidential candidates and also removed the requirement for a referendum to approve a new constitution.

In Friday’s vote, Guelleh faced a single opposition candidate, Mohamed Farah Samatar, representing a minor party with no seats in parliament.

Two of the main opposition parties have boycotted elections since 2016, alleging a lack of impartiality on the part of the electoral authorities.

State media data indicated a voter turnout of 80.4%. In the previous election in 2021, Guelleh secured more than 97% of the vote.

In contrast to several other countries in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti has remained relatively stable in recent years. Guelleh’s government has invested heavily in port infrastructure, positioning the country as a key gateway for landlocked Ethiopia.

However, human rights organisations have accused the authorities of repressing political opponents, activists and journalists. The government has denied allegations of widespread abuses and rejected criticism of the electoral process.

In 2020, security forces suppressed rare anti-government protests that erupted following the arrest of a former air force pilot who had spoken out against alleged corruption and clan-based discrimination.

Source: Reuters



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