President Azali Assoumani of Comoros was granted approval by the Supreme Court on Thursday, November 23, 2023, to seek reelection in the January 14 election.
Assoumani, who won his third election in 2019, is vying for a fourth term.
A list of contenders authorized by the Supreme Court puts him up against nine opponents.
Notable among them is Salim Issa, medical doctor and flagbearer for Juwa, the political party of former president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 for “high treason.” Another former interior minister is also among them.
Opponents claim the electoral process is opaque and they will only take part in the election if specific demands are met, like the release of political prisoners. As a result, they may decide to boycott the event.
There are only 800,000 people living in this tiny nation of islands in the Indian Ocean. Since gaining independence from France in the 1970s, it has witnessed over 20 coups or attempted coups.
Former army officer Assoumani first took control in a coup in 1999.
