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Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh wins fourth term | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh has won a landslide victory in an election criticised by opposition parties and rights groups. | |
Officials said Mr Guelleh won 87% of Friday's vote, which activists complained was preceded by political repression and curbs on basic freedoms. | |
Mr Guelleh, in power since 1999, begins a fourth five-year term in power. | |
He faced five rivals in the election, but three opposition parties boycotted the poll. | |
The opposition complain of police brutality and media bias under Mr Guelleh's rule. | |
"The people of Djibouti have again entrusted me with the state's highest office," Mr Guelleh, 68, said in a speech on national TV. | |
More on this and other African news stories | More on this and other African news stories |
Djibouti election: What you need to know | Djibouti election: What you need to know |
Djibouti’s thin-skinned democracy | Djibouti’s thin-skinned democracy |
Djibouti's strategic position on the Gulf of Aden means that it is home to US and French military bases. | |
The country is also seen as relatively stable in a region which includes Somalia, where the government does not control the whole country, and Yemen, where there is a civil war. | |
Observers say this explains the muted criticism of President Guelleh from the West. | |
Some 180,000 people were eligible to vote, around a fourth of the population. | |
The opposition were angry that the president rescinded his earlier decision not to seek another term. | |
His main rival, representing the opposition Union for National Salvation (USN) coalition, was Omar Elmi Kaireh, a Djibouti independence hero. | His main rival, representing the opposition Union for National Salvation (USN) coalition, was Omar Elmi Kaireh, a Djibouti independence hero. |
He came second, with 7%, according to provisional results announced by Interior Minister Hassan Omar. |