MORONI, Comoros: Security forces in the Comoros clashed on Wednesday with protesters angered by the re-election of President Azali Assoumani, as opposition leaders denounced this week's vote as fraudulent.
Some demonstrators ransacked a former minister's house and set it on fire, as others tried to block roads in the capital. Police responded with tear gas and arrests, reporters saw.
Election officials said on Tuesday that Assoumani had won 62.97 per cent of the vote in Sunday's ballot, but the five opposition challengers cried foul, alleging ballot-stuffing and inconsistent results.
"Incontestably these ballots of Sunday January 14, 2024 are invalid. We denounce them and demand their pure and simple annulment," the candidates said, in a joint statement.
Debris, furniture and burning tyres were scattered in several streets of Moroni and the Indian Ocean archipelago's largest street market lay deserted in the morning after the disputed poll results were announced.
Tear gas shots echoed through the streets well into the afternoon and black plumes of smoke billowed over the city as police and the army tried to clear roads blockaded by demonstrators.
Government spokesman Houmed Msaidie, accused the opposition of organising the protests.
"There have been arrests, but I can't give you the figure for the moment. It's totally normal when there are people out there who want to disturb public order," Msaidie said.
There have been no reports of deadly violence, but the Comoros — a three-island chain with a population of about 870,000 — is politically volatile and has seen 20 coups or attempted coups since independence in 1975.
Official results released on Tuesday showed Assoumani, a former coup leader turned civilian president, won re-election in the first round.
But official turnout was unexpectedly low at 16 per cent and large discrepancies in the number of votes reportedly cast for the presidential and regional governor races have raised doubts about its regularity. — AFP
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