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Djibouti went to polls on Friday, February 24, while many opposition parties had boycotted what they call a sham election. Only two parties are contesting seats in the 65-member National Assembly. Veteran President Ismael Omar Guelleh’s ruling Union for Presidential Majority, analysts say, is assured of a cake-walk victory
Djibouti went to polls on Friday, February 24, while many opposition parties had boycotted what they call a sham election. Only two parties are contesting seats in the 65-member National Assembly. Veteran President Ismael Omar Guelleh’s ruling Union for Presidential Majority, analysts say, is assured of a cake -walk victory.
Despite its diminutive size, Djibouti enjoys a strategically crucial position situated at the mouth of the Red Sea. It is a hub for trade investors and foreign military powers. Ports in the country are used by Ethiopia, the landlocked country for its trading activities. The Chinese have considerable investments in infrastructure, ports, and mining sectors. The presidential election in April 2021 saw Guelleh re-elected for a fifth term with 97 percent of the vote. The opposition claims that the elections would not be free and fair.
Guelleh, 75, has ruled Djibouti with an iron fist since 1999. The country has seen an erosion of press freedom and a crackdown on dissent. The economy took a hit in 2022 from the war in Ukraine, regional drought, and fallout from the two-year conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia. However, the year ahead the economy is expected to grow by around five percent this year, says the International Monetary Fund.
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The main opposition parties, including the Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development (MRD) and the Republican Alliance for Democracy, have announced they would not take part in the elections, mentioning that it would not be free and fair. Djibouti’s 230,000 voters will choose MPs for a five-year term, with the law stipulating that 25 percent of the 65 seats must go to women.
