Djibouti president secures 5th term with 98% of votes - Provisional results

Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guelleh is coasting to a landslide in presidential elections held on Friday, April 9.

According to the AFP news agency, provisional results from Friday’s presidential election showed that the incumbent President won more than 98% of the vote.

He was largely expected to win given that his main opponent was a largely unknown businessman, Zakaria Ismail Farah.

President Guelleh after casting his ballot told the press that he was upbeat of victory.

The 73-year-old will secure a fifth term in office to add to his already 22 years in power.

This time around it is most likely his last chance to be head of state before becoming ineligible -- as per an age limit based on a 2010 constitutional reform.

As the main opposition parties boycotted the vote, political analysts widely expected a landslide win for the incumbent.

Under Guelleh, the country has exploited its geographical advantage of the strategically located nation, investing heavily in ports and logistics infrastructure.

In 2018, seeking to become a trade and logistics hub, the country launched -- via Chinese financing, the first phase of what will be Africa's biggest free-trade zone.

With Additional files from Africanews