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| Africa Subsaharan | |||
| Islamist wins Comoros election | |||
| 2006-05-16 | |||
| A man seen as a moderate Islamist has claimed victory in Sunday's election on the Comoros Islands. Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi was seen as the favourite and his aides say he won between 60% and 75% of the vote. Although votes are still being counted, supporters of the cleric, known as "Ayatollah" after his studies in Iran, have been celebrating in the streets.
Following a 2001 constitutional settlement, the presidency rotates every four years between the three islands of the archipelago. This time, all three candidates were from the island of Anjouan. Mr Sambi, a Sunni cleric and businessman, was opposed by two secular candidates - Mohamed Djaanfari, a former military pilot, and Ibrahim Halidi, backed by outgoing President Azali Assoumani. Mr Sambi's aide Mohamed Djaffar was in jubilant mood. "It is a clear victory, he is the new president of Comoros," he said. "God willing and if the government doesn't stop us, the Ayatollah has won. The Comorans want change and he's the one to do it," said Djoauharia Said, a trader, as she danced to Mr Sambi's campaign song in the capital, Moroni.
Mr Azali, from Grand Comore, won the first election in 2002 after coming to power via a bloodless coup three years earlier. The African Union has sent hundreds of mainly South African troops to help ensure a peaceful transition. Comoran troops have been confined to barracks. | |||
| Posted by:Dan Darling |