Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a sixth term in the country’s 2026 presidential election, despite a constitutional age limit that would bar his candidacy.
In an interview published on Friday by The Africa Report, the 77-year-old leader declined to give a direct answer when asked if he would run in April 2026.
“I won’t answer that,” Guelleh said. “What I can say is that I love my country too much to lead it into a reckless venture or sow division.”
Under Djibouti’s current constitution, candidates over the age of 75 are prohibited from contesting presidential elections, meaning a sixth term would require constitutional amendments.
Guelleh, widely known by his initials “IOG”, secured a fifth term in 2021 with 97 percent of the vote. His ruling party, the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), maintains a firm grip on parliament.
Guelleh came to power in 1999 after serving as chief of staff to Djibouti’s founding president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, for 22 years. His tenure has been marked by political stability in a region often plagued by unrest.
Djibouti’s strategic location at the Horn of Africa has made it a key military hub for global powers, including the United States, France, and China, all of which maintain military bases in the country.
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