Bouteflika announced on March 11 he was withdrawing from his bid for a fifth term, initially sparking elation among protesters. By AFPMore by this AuthorALGIERS,Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday confirmed he will stay in power beyond his term expiring next month, despite tens of thousands of people demonstrating against his rule. Bouteflika announced on March 11 he was withdrawing from his bid for a fifth term, initially sparking elation among protesters before they realised he would be remain in office beyond his term. Protests initially erupted last month after Bouteflika announced his intention to stand for another term, bringing tens of thousands to the streets in the capital Algiers and across the country. In his latest message, Bouteflika appealed to Algerians to "offer your support to your army to protest Algeria from external dangers."

Source: Daily Nation March 19, 2019 04:30 UTC