Protests, clashes engulf Comoros’ capital as President Assoumani wins 4th term

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Protests and clashes erupted in Moroni, the capital of Comoros, after President Azali Assoumani clinched his fourth term in Sunday’s presidential election.

On Wednesday, the city center became a battleground, with protesters clashing with police, who responded with tear gas.

Barricades, burning tires, and tree branches blocked major roads including the one leading to the airport.

The Presidency, in a statement, asserted that the protests were not spontaneous but rather orchestrated riots led by dissatisfied forces opposing Assoumani's victory.

The opposition, in response to the alleged irregularities, on Wednesday called for the cancellation of the vote.

The demonstrators rejected what they saw as an unfair manipulation of the democratic process.

The protesters demanded a transparent investigation into the alleged electoral irregularities and called for a fair and impartial fresh election.

The controversial election in the East African country saw Assoumani secure a 62.97% majority, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

Assoumani, 65, a former military officer who first came to power in a 1999 coup, has now served two non-consecutive terms as president, from 2002 to 2006 and from 2016 to the present.

The 2018 constitutional referendum that paved the way for his potential re-election was deeply divisive, with critics accusing him of undermining the power-sharing agreement among Comoros' three main islands.