MORONI, Comoros: A call by the defeated opposition candidates in the Comoros for a mass protest against President Azali Assoumani’s re-election went unheeded on Friday, confronted by a heavy security presence.
The opposition challengers called people across the Indian Ocean Island chain to block roads after Friday prayers to condemn Assoumani’s “electoral masquerade”.
But turnout was half the usual number at Friday prayers at the largest mosque in the capital city Moroni, worshippers said, and there was no sign of political agitation afterwards, according to AFP.
Police and soldiers were stationed around the medina market area on key junctions, some of them hooded or wearing surgical masks to hide their identities.
Bilali Soidiki, a supporter of opposition challenger Bourhane Hamidou, accused the government’s clampdown on communications — internet services have been shut down since Wednesday.
He said that the government is preventing any communication. With the internet disruption it was difficult to mobilise, particularly when the 5 candidates’ call to demonstrate was announced at night.”
Protests paralyze capital
The capital city has been paralyzed by two days of running street-battles between armed soldiers and stone-throwing youths.
At least one person was fatally injured, according to medics.
But, while tensions remain high, some in Moroni took advantage of the break in hostilities on the day of prayer to try to get their businesses up and running.
Assoumani’s victory is likely to be confirmed by the top court at the weekend after the electoral commission declared he had won more than 60% in Sunday’s first-round vote.
But the opposition says the unexpectedly low sixteen-percent turnout figure in the presidential election falls far short of the figure for parallel governor polls.
According to the official tally, 189,497 Comorans voted to choose governors for each of the 3 islands in the archipelago, but only 55,258 cast a ballot for president.
Assoumani has dismissed the concerns.
Some 45% of the Comoros’ population of 870,000 lives below the poverty line, with many migrants attempting to cross to the French island of Mayotte.
