Comoros: Key presidential poll runoff set for Sunday, April 10

Presidential candidates are forming alliances ahead of the presidential runoff in the Comoros Island scheduled for April 10.

A camp of the Juwa main opposition party has announced that it will support Azali Assoumani – a colonel who came third during the first round.

The Juwa party did not make it to the second round and the controversial agreement is creating divisions within the opposition party.

“What we have just done today, is just the beginning, it shows that a single party cannot govern this country, We must unite to bring our country out of the abyss,” former president Mohamed Abdallah Sambi said.

This support now places Assoumani as favourite in the second round of the presidential election to hold on Sunday where about 159 000 voters are expected to turn out.

“We have made the request to the party Juwa chaired by the former President Sambi and he accepted based on a joint programme which meets our respective objectives. We have signed the agreement,” Azalia Assoumani, Comoros presidential candidate said.

Three candidates are vying for the presidency during the second round of the upcoming presidential election.

Current Vice President Ali Soilihi will be challenged by Mouigni Baraka who governs Grande Comore and Azali Assoumani as they battle to replace outgoing president Ikililou Dhoinine.

AFP