President Ismail Omar Guelleh, candidate of the ruling People’s Rally for Progress (RPP) within the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), held a major campaign rally on the evening of April 6 at Belbala, a suburb of the capital.
The open-air event drew what the president described as a significant turnout. Taking to social media shortly after the rally, Guelleh expressed his satisfaction with the large public participation, which he called a sign of strong popular support.
Addressing the crowd, the incumbent leader voiced confidence that Djibouti would achieve “significant success” if he is granted another five-year term. Guelleh, who has been in power since 1999, is seeking to extend his tenure in the upcoming election.
The electoral atmosphere in Djibouti City has warmed considerably as Guelleh’s campaign intensifies. Roads and vehicles are adorned with posters, banners, and party colors, while many citizens wear caps, shirts, and scarves bearing the symbols of parties and candidates.
Campaigning will continue in public halls and open-air venues until the day before the election, scheduled for April 10, 2026.
President Guelleh’s sole challenger is Mohamed Farah Samatar, a former member of the ruling party who now leads the Unified Democratic Centre (CDU). Samatar has held his own campaign rallies in Tadjourah and Obock under the slogan “Another Djibouti is possible”.
