Djibouti’s long-time president Ismail Omar Guelleh has officially submitted his candidacy for the country’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for April, seeking a sixth term after more than two decades in power.
The application was filed on Monday with the Interior Ministry by his campaign director Abdallah Abdillahi Miguil, a senior member of the ruling Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) coalition.
Guelleh, who has led Djibouti since 1999, became eligible to run again after parliament removed the constitutional age limit for presidential candidates last year. Earlier reforms in 2010 had already abolished the two-term limit, allowing the president to remain in power beyond the previous restrictions.
Backed by a coalition of pro-government parties, Guelleh is expected to be a leading candidate in the upcoming vote. Electoral authorities will now review all submitted candidacies before announcing the final list of approved contenders.
The official election campaign is expected to begin in the coming weeks as the country prepares for the presidential poll.
Source: Newstimehub
