Djibouti Adviser Resigns Over Democratic Issues Ahead of Presidential Election

Mohamed resigned as a longtime adviser to Djibouti’s president Ismail Omar Guelleh in September 2023.

He cited democratic regression in Djibouti as the reason for his resignation. Mohamed was not on the ballot for Djibouti’s presidential election held at the weekend. Mohamed is currently outside Djibouti and states he cannot return home to file nomination papers or campaign freely without credible security guarantees.

Djibouti’s presidential election nomination fee is set at about the equivalent of £20,000. The fee is refundable only to candidates who obtain at least 10% of votes cast. Djibouti and Benin held presidential elections at the weekend.

Omar Guelleh has ruled Djibouti since 1999.

He is 78 years old. Constitutional changes in Djibouti enabled open tenure for the president. Constitutional changes in Djibouti removed the presidential age limit, previously capped at 75. In Djibouti, the incumbent president is presented as winning with figures close to 97% in elections.

presidential election nomination fee is pegged at about £328,000.

Zimbabwe’s nomination fee in the last elections rose to £15,000, a 1,900% increase. Linda Tsungirirai Masarira could not participate in the 2023 polls in Zimbabwe due to exorbitant fees. Malawi’s presidential nomination fee rose to about £4,200 for the September 2025 election from about £800 five years earlier.

Malawi’s presidential ballot expanded from seven candidates in the previous election to 17.