Opposition leaders in the Indian Ocean nation of Comoros have rejected the results of Sunday’s legislative elections, alleging widespread fraud and irregularities.
The two-round election, intended to elect 33 lawmakers, was boycotted by much of the opposition, who claimed the process lacked transparency. Daoud Abdallah Mohamed, leader of the United Opposition coalition and a former interior minister, described the election as plagued by “gross fraud,” including ballot box stuffing and instances where vote counts exceeded the number of registered voters.
In Anjouan, the country’s most populous island, the electoral commission announced that 12 candidates from the ruling Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) party won with reported voter turnouts of 70% and vote shares ranging from 60% to 100%. However, observers noted low voter participation, raising concerns about the authenticity of the results.
The election on the island of Moheli also drew criticism, as four of five constituencies had only CRC candidates after opposition figures withdrew mid-race.
President Azali Assoumani, who has been in power since 2016, dismissed the allegations as baseless. “The opposition always denounces elections. Now, it’s their responsibility to substantiate these claims,” he said.
A second round of voting is scheduled for February 16, 2025. However, Mohamed announced that the United Opposition would not participate in the process, citing ongoing doubts about its credibility.