Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who has held power since 1999 following a coup and has won four elections since 2002, has refuted claims that he intends to pass on the presidency to his son, Nour El Fath.
In a speech to supporters on the island of Moheli on Thursday, Assoumani had mentioned the possibility of a successor who could be described as “a child,” leading some to believe he was referring to his son.
However, the president’s office clarified the remarks in a statement on Friday, denying any intention of grooming his son for succession.
“The government wishes to clarify that at no time did President Azali suggest a potential succession by his son, Nour El Fath,” the statement said.
“He used the term ‘a child’ in a general sense, as it is customary in Comoros to refer to all citizens in this manner, not necessarily to one’s own offspring.”
The president’s office reiterated Assoumani’s previous stance against a “family succession” model and confirmed that the next president would be required to come from the island of Anjouan, in line with the country’s constitutional rotation system.
Under this system, the presidency rotates every ten years between Comoros’ three main islands.
El Fath, who is currently tasked with coordinating government affairs and overseeing the cabinet, would not be eligible to succeed his father in 2029 unless constitutional amendments are made.
Assoumani’s most recent electoral victory, in 2022, was marred by opposition claims of electoral fraud, which were rejected by the ruling party.
Despite these protests, his party won a decisive victory in the recent parliamentary elections, although opposition groups either boycotted the vote or accused the government of election fraud.
Comoros, a nation with a population of about 800,000, has been prone to political instability, experiencing around 20 coups or attempted coups since its independence from France in 1975.
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