By Shire Abdi - Reporter
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Djibouti, 11 April 2026 Djibouti’s incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh has won re-election with 97.81% of the vote, election authorities said on Friday, extending his rule for another five-year term.
Guelleh faced opposition candidate Mohamed Farah Samatar, who secured 2.19% of the vote, according to official results.
The outcome means Guelleh will begin his sixth term in office, having led the country since 1999.
The electoral commission said the vote was conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner, with 80.4% voter turnout.
The two-week campaign period saw strong support for the incumbent, officials said.
Polling stations remained open an additional hour beyond the scheduled closing time to allow more voters to cast their ballots, election authorities added.
The vote was monitored by observers from the African Union, IGAD, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.