Democracy News

Guelleh Wins Re-Election in Djibouti; Doubts of Fairness
April 10, 2011
By: Randi Zung and Carlos Aramayo | Printer Friendly

On April 8, Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh of the People's Rally for Progress, won re-election in a landslide victory. According to the BBC News, Guelleh – who has ruled the country since 1999 – received approximately 80 percent of the votes. During the country’s previous election in 2005, the national electoral commission reported that Guelleh received 100 percent of the votes. Overall turnout was reported as high, with 70 percent of the 150,000 registered citizens turning up to vote. Guelleh’s sole challenger, Mohamed Warsama Ragueh, received approximately 19 percent of the votes. Ragueh was backed by an opposition coalition known as the Union for a Democratic Movement

Following a government crackdown on pro-democracy activists in February 2011, opposition groups called on voters to boycott the election. Prior to the election, Human Rights Watch reported that the Guelleh government had repeatedly prevented the opposition from peacefully protesting. Speaking on the crackdown, Rona Peligal, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “As elections in Djibouti approach, the government has trampled on those very rights that make a vote free and fair.”

Commenting on Guelleh’s re-election, Ragueh – the former head of the country’s Constitutional Council – said that the poll suffered from irregularities. Bloomberg reported that election observers were prevented from entering a polling site in the northern city of Tadjourah and members of the security forces were seen casting multiple ballots. In response to the accusations of electoral misconduct, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Yousef said that the allegations were “completely untrue.” BBC News additionally reported that a number of observers cast doubt on the fairness of the election, saying it was uncompetitive.

Prior to winning his third term, AFP reported that Guelleh stated this term would be his last. In March 2010, Guelleh amended the country’s constitution, allowing him to run for his third six-year term in office. The move sparked outcry from the country’s opposition forces.

Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa and has approximately 860,000 inhabitants; its economy size is approximately $982 million dollars and relies on services related to its strategic location on the Red Sea. The country ranks 148 out of 169 countries on the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index and has approximately 5,000 French and American troops stationed in two bases.

For previous news on Djibouti, please see: 
Protestors In Djibouti Call For President’s Removal Ahead of Election

Sources:
BBC News – Djibouti: President Ismael Omar Guelleh wins third term

Bloomberg – Djiboutian President Guelleh Wins Vote; Human Rights Watch Doubts Fairness

Human Rights Watch – Djibouti: Allow Peaceful Protests

AFP - Djibouti president vows third term would be last