“This is a moment of happiness, a moment of hope, a moment of history,” Solih told an audience of journalists and members of his campaign team. “For many of us this has been a difficult journey, a journey that has led to prison cells or exile. A spokesman for Yameen declined to say if the strongman leader would be making any public statements in the next hours. But few were willing to predict his downfall given his control of the country’s election commission, its supreme court and the public broadcaster. He is known for his cool temperament and is considered palatable to parties across the country’s polarised political spectrum.

Source: The Guardian September 23, 2018 20:48 UTC