Consultation before any dynastic transfer. “This is not a kingdom. The people must decide their leader, not a family,” said Fahmi Said Ibrahim, head of a local human rights coalition.
General Nour El Fath Azali, 32, currently serves as Secretary General of the Presidency. He has limited public profile but holds a senior military rank and has accompanied his father on official trips. Analysts say positioning him as successor mirrors patterns seen in Gabon, Togo, and Chad, where family members have retained power.
Comoros has a history of political instability, coups, and secession attempts by the island of Anjouan. Assoumani’s rule has brought relative calm but critics accuse him of concentrating power. The African Union has not issued an official response, but AU protocols oppose unconstitutional changes of government.
The East African Community and Southern African Development Community have both emphasized constitutionalism in recent summits. Diplomats say they will watch Comoros closely as 2029 approaches.
If implemented, the handover would make Comoros the latest African state to face accusations of dynastic politics. It could also strain relations with France, the former colonial power, which has urged democratic reforms.
Assoumani insisted the transition would follow legal processes, but did not detail the mechanism. Parliament is expected to debate constitutional changes later this year.
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