Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has been in power since 1999, has hinted at the possibility of running for a sixth term in the 2026 election, despite the constitutional ban on doing so.
In a recent interview with The Africa Report, the 77-year-old Guelleh dodged a direct answer when asked about his potential candidacy, saying, “I won’t answer that.”
However, he added that he loves his country too much to lead it into a reckless venture or sow division.
To run in the 2026 election, Guelleh would need to change the constitution, which currently prohibits candidates older than 75.
Guelleh has maintained a strong grip on power, winning 97% of the vote in the 2021 election, and his UMP party holds a majority in parliament.
