Djibouti president Guelleh claims election victory to retain power since 1999

Djibouti’s veteran leader Ismail Omar Guelleh on Saturday claimed victory in a presidential election that would give him a sixth straight term.

“Re-elected,” he said simply in post on X social media as early results from polling gave him a huge lead.

Guelleh, 78, has run the strategically placed Horn of Africa nation since 1999. He won more than 97 percent of the vote in the last election in 2021.