The people of Comoros will vote to elect their next President on Sunday, March 24. If in case no candidate gains over 50 percent of the vote during the first round of the elections, the second round of voting will be held on April 21, reported Africa News.
Comoros’ current President Azali Assoumani, who was voted into office in 2016, is also contesting the presidential election. Azali is tipped to win the election.
A total of nineteen candidates had registered for the election, but, the Supreme Court,which is composed exclusively of Azali’s allies, barred four of them from contesting in Comoros’ next presidential elections.
The Supreme Court rejected Dr. Zile Soilihi as his name did not appear on the electoral lists. Bourhane Abdallah and Thani Mohamed Soilihi were barred from contesting the election because they couldn’t prove that Comoros was their place of residency.
The Democratic Front’s candidacy was also rejected as a ministerial decision issued in 2016 didn’t recognize the Democratic Front as a political party.
Notably, Comoros followed an arrangement to rotate power among the three islands- Grande-Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli which constitute the archipelago. Azali’s island, Grand Comore, currently holds the privilege. However, last year, he called for a referendum to extend the president’s term of office to 10 years and decided on an early presidential election.
Sunday’s polls are the first under the controversial new constitution that enables Azali to remain in power until 2029. The reform resulted in a resetting of presidential term limits. It allows the president to hold two five-year mandates instead of one. If Azali wins, he would be allowed to vie for a second in 2024.
While the opposition parties boycotted the referendum, the presidential camp explained that the extension of the Presidential term limit was to make him more accountable to the citizens.
Don’t forget to check with The Chief Observer for more updates on Comoros Presidential Election 2019.
