Djibouti Votes: President Guelleh Seeks Sixth Term Amid Muted Opposition

Voting began in Djibouti on Friday in a presidential election widely expected to extend the 25-year rule of incumbent Ismail Omar Guelleh. Authorities dispatched ballot boxes and papers across the small Horn of Africa nation on Thursday. Guelleh, who has held power since 1999, faces a divided opposition. Critics say the opposition has been largely silenced ahead of the poll. The president’s main challengers are independent candidate Mohamed Daoud Chehem and former finance minister Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh. A coalition of major opposition parties is boycotting the election, calling the process unfair. Djibouti is a strategically important country. It hosts major military bases for the United States, China, and France. The nation also serves as a key trade and logistics hub for the region. If re-elected, the 76-year-old Guelleh will begin a new five-year term.