All You Need To Know About Comoros’ 2024 Presidential Election

Written by Justin Tusoe

Comoros, an Island in the Indian Ocean is gearing up for its presidential elections set for January 14, 2024. A second round is scheduled for February 25, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes.

The current President, Azali Assoumani, who doubles as the Chairperson of the African Union has been cleared by the country’s Supreme Court to seek re-election.

The country, with a population of over 800,000 people last held its presidential elections in 2019 which saw President Assoumani emerge as the winner. The election led to protests from the opposition which alleged irregularities.

In this year’s election, at least 340,000 people are expected to cast their ballot for a presidential election in which six candidates are vying for the top post, according to a list approved by the Supreme Court.

Presidential Candidates

The Supreme Court has granted clearance to six candidates, allowing them to participate in the upcoming presidential elections. They are: Azali Assoumani, the current president of Comoros and leader of the Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros; Salim Issa Abdillah, a medical doctor and leader of the Juwa political party; Mohamed Soilihi, former governor and leader of the Comoros Democratic Rally for Equality; Aboudou Soefo, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and leader of the Tsasi movement; Daoudou Abdallah Mohammed, a former Minister of Interior and flagbearer of the Orange party; and Bourhane Hamidou, the only independent candidate among the six running in this year's Comorian election.

Comoros’s Electoral System

The President is elected to serve a five-year term through the two-round system. In the past, the presidency of Comoros used a rotational system among the three Indian Ocean Islands (Anjouan, Grande Comore, and Mohéli) every five years. This approach was implemented to prevent frequent coups allowing only candidates from one of the three Islands to contest in the presidential elections at the end of every term.

When it was Island's turn to hold the presidency, the first round was held on that island, with the top three candidates progressing to a nationwide second round.

However, in 2018, this rotation system was overturned by a constitutional referendum that instituted a standard two-round system.

The referendum also allowed the incumbent President Assoumani to run for another term. This amendment led to violent protests and an armed uprising in Anjouan in October 2018, quelled by the military after several days.

Issues voters will consider

 There are a number of issues which will shape this year’s election in Comoros. High cost of living is a major concern among Comorians, making access to basic necessities difficult for many residents.

Also, basic amenities like electricity and running water are unavailable in many parts of the country.

Poverty is a major problem in Comoros, with about half of the population living below the poverty line according to the World Bank. This alarming figure shows the urgent need for concrete actions from the next president to improve the living conditions of Comorians.

Opposition concerns

Some members of the opposition have threatened to boycott the election due to concerns about lack of transparency in the electoral process. They are insisting that authorities release former leader Ahmed Abdallah Sambi (who is serving a life sentence) and all other political prisoners.

Furthermore, they are advocating for a restructuring of the electoral body to ensure its independence.

Notable opposition figures calling for the boycott of Sunday’s election include the main opposition leader, Mohamed Ali Soilihi who is currently living in exile in France.

Who will win the election?

Analysts predict a closely contested race between the incumbent President Azali Assoumani and the opposition candidate Salim Issa Abdillah. However, Assoumani’s position as the incumbent president, coupled with the support of security and other state agencies, is expected to contribute to his eventual victory in the election.

Editing by: Peter Agbesi Adivor and Emmanuel Koranteng Asomani

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