By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Djibouti’s President Ismail Guelleh, 77, is set to run for a sixth term in next year’s election, AFP quoted sources as saying after the parliament amended the constitution, expunging the barrier that had prevented him from running again.
“He has agreed to be a candidate in next year’s presidential election, everything went smoothly,” President of the National Assembly Dileita Mohamed Dileita said, after a congress of the ruling People’s Rally for Progress (RPP).
The Parliament had last week voted to remove the 75-year age limit for presidential candidates from the Constitution.
In 2010, the Constitution was also amended to remove the two-term limit to allow him run for a fresh term.
Guelleh, who has been in power since 1999 is the latest ageing African leader, such as 92-year-old Paul Biya in Cameroon, and 83-year-old Alassane Ouattara in the Ivory Coast to seek to remain in power.
Analysts believe that his chances of securing re-election are high despite age factor.
He won the last election in 2021 with 97 per cent of the vote while his coalition, the Union for the Presidential Majority, holds the majority of parliamentary seats.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) characterised the elections as “not free”.
The small Horn of Africa nation hosts military bases for the United States, France, China, Japan and Italy.
It regularly faces criticism from human rights organisations for its repression of dissenting voices.
It ranks 168th out of 180 in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2025 World Press Freedom Index, with the NGO saying “the media landscape is completely controlled and limited almost exclusively to state media”.
Guelleh succeeded Hassan Gouled Aptidon, the father of Djibouti’s independence, in 1999 after serving as his chief of staff for 22 years.
