Baladweyn residents held congratulation ceremony for the President of Djibouti

Well organized congratulation ceremony for the President of the Republic of Djibouti Ishmael Omar Guelleh who won forth term presidential elections held mid this month, was held Monday in Baladweyne town.

Orchestrated by the traditional elders of the town, the ceremony brought together over hundred residents and officials from the local administration of the town.

Speaking at the event, the governor of Hiraan region, Yussuf Ahmed Hagar Dabageed congratulated president Guelleh on wining fourth term as the president of Djibouti.

“I am very pleased to congratulate my brother Ismail Omar on his re-election as President of Djibouti” said Dabageed.

He said that the residents of Baladweyn and the administration will never forget the support of the Djibouti government and its troops in Somalia’s central region, Hiraan as part of African Union peace-keeping mission of Somalia.

“On behalf of people Hiiraan region and their administration I say that we are very grateful to Djibouti government and its troops for all that they have done Somalis” he said.

For his part, the commander of the Djibouti contingent, Col. Hassan Jama, who has attended the ceremony, has thanked the residents of Baladweyn town for holding congratulation ceremony for the president Djibouti.

“I am very pleased to attend with you this event in which you are congratulating the President of Djibouti Ismael Omar Guelleh” said Jama’a.

He added” Djibouti troop have been in Hiraan region for about three years in which they have played very important role in restoring  peace and security  in the entire region in especially in Baladweyne town.”

Mid this month Guelleh was re-elected for a fourth mandate following an election boycotted by some opposition parties.

Guelleh is the country’s second president since independence from France in 1977, having succeeded his uncle, Hassan Gouled, in 1999.

Guelleh’s strong hold on power is largely attributed to divisions within the opposition and to government repression of dissent.

Some opposition parties boycotted the election after Guelleh, who was always the clear front-runner, went back on his earlier decision not to run.

Omar Elmi Kaireh, candidate for the main opposition party, Union for National Salvation (USN), Mohamed Daoud Chehem for the Djiboutian Party for Development, three independent candidates – Djama Abdourhaman Djama, Mohamed Moussa Ali and Hassan Idriss Ahmed – participated in the election.

Opposition supporters dispute the vote, saying some voters were turned away from polling stations. Opposition leaders have complained of police brutality in the weeks leading up to the election, and say the media covers them unfairly.

There are around 187,900 registered voters in Djibouti, according to the National Independent Electoral Commission.

The Horn of Africa country has enjoyed relative stability since independence and hosts large French and U.S. military bases due to its strategically-important position.