Opposition rejects presidential election results in divided Comoros

The opposition to the Comoros on Wednesday rejected the re-election of President Azali Assoumani, saying his victory was won at the price of mbadive fraud, while anger threatened to trigger a new political crisis on the archipelago.

The president of the electoral committee of the CENI, Djaza Ahmed Mohameda, proclaimed Tuesday winner of the Azali, with 60.77% of the vote.

Azali, a retired colonel who had led a coup d'etat, led the country between 1999 and 2006 and was re-elected in 2016, leaving his 12 runaway rivals on the run.

The lawyer and candidate of the Juwa party, Mahamoudou Ahamada, took second place in the Sunday poll, but won only 14.62% of the votes cast.

"It's true that there were misfires (electoral) but we consider ourselves lucky because they could have been worse," Azali told reporters.

"The easy part is behind us, the difficult part – the building of the nation – is before us."

Azali's rivals quickly rejected his appeal.

"For us, there was no election on Sunday – it was a coup d'etat," said Mugni Baraka Said Soilihi, the third-place candidate.

"We call on the international community not to recognize the re-election of Azali," said Ahamada.

Observers and community groups questioned the credibility of the vote.

"We are scared"

Polling stations were ransacked, the polls filled by police and observers were prevented from monitoring the integrity of the vote, according to several witnesses.

"The incidents showed that voters were unable to exercise their civil rights in calm conditions," said a joint statement released by observers from the African Union, Comesa bloc (Eastern and Southern Africa). ) and Force Standby in East Africa.

Interior Minister Mohamed "Kiki" Daoudou said the elections were the most transparent "he has ever seen" in the Comoros.

For months, the opposition accused Azali of behaving like a dictator.

Azali organized the poll after the referendum vote of the Comorans, boycotted by the opposition, in favor of extending the presidential term of office from five years to two.

According to critics, he could theoretically rule until 2029 and several opposition figures were arrested at the time of the referendum.

The change upset the fragile balance of power established in 2001 to end the separatist crises in Anjouan and Moheli and put an end to an endless cycle of coups.

The Supreme Court has also banned some of Azali's main rivals, including former President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, accused of corruption, from running for office.

Following an opposition rally that was violently dispersed by the police, the commanders banned any further demonstrations.

"This is not the street that governs the country," Daoudou told AFP.

"I hope that there will be no violence in the coming days – but we are afraid," said former vice president Ahmed Said Djaffar, exiled in Tanzania since his death. scrambles with Azali in 2018.

am-lp-pa-gw / ri