Comoros President appoints new govt a month after referendum

Comoros President Azali Assoumani has appointed a new government, a month after a referendum win which will allow him to extend his reign as leader of the archipelago.

The new team has twelve ministers and three secretaries of State, according to a presidential decree read Tuesday night on national radio.

The only notable departure was Vice President Djaffar Said Ahmed, who publicly opposed the referendum.

The July referendum was boycotted by the opposition which described it as illegal and tailor-made to allow Azali Assoumani, a former coup leader to remain as head of the Comoros.

On 30 July, more than 92% of Comorians adopted a constitutional reform, which allowed the president to run for two more consecutive terms.

Following the adoption of this reform, the Comorian President announced that he would organize an early presidential election at the beginning of 2019, and run as a candidate.

His opponents have for months denounced his “authoritarian rule” and accused him of having ordered dozens of arrests among his critics since the referendum.

AFP