Comoros ex-president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi under house arrest

Former president of Comoros and a critic of president Azali Assoumani has been placed under house arrest in order to “preserve” public order, according to the Interior Ministry.

A statement from the Interior ministry said, the decision was taken due to the action of Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, in recent days and that if he needs to travel, an application must be submitted to the department responsible for public security.

On Friday, Sambi and Azali met in the great mosque for prayers. Reports say at the end of the religious service, Sambi’s supporters booed the incumbent president.

Sambi, who ruled Comoros from 2006 to 2011, on Sunday denounced his house arrest, saying ‘with such acts, it is the country’s democracy that is really threatened.”

He told AFP, the purpose of the house arrest ‘’ is as if someone wanted to lead them into a crisis”.

Sambi returned home after a six-month absence early this month.

In his recent public pronouncement, Sambi denounced Azali’s decision to suspend the Constitutional Court and his plan to hold a referendum to revise the Constitution, scheduled for 29 July.

The current Comorian head of state, Azali Assoumani has not yet given details of the institutional reform he plans, but he has already planned an early presidential election in 2019 if the referendum is approved.

Azali, a former coup leader, was elected president in 2016. His mandate theoretically expires in 2021.

AFP