Comoros president aims for election in early 2019
The opposition has called the referendum result 'a farce'
Comoran President Azali Assoumani has promised to hold a presidential election as soon as the Indian Ocean archipelago is able to afford one, probably early next year.
The announcement comes after voters overwhelmingly backed controversial constitutional reforms that would allow Assoumani to run for another term in a referendum boycotted by the opposition.
"If we had the means we would organise this election in September, but since we are short of money we must postpone the date," he told supporters Friday.
"Pray that we get it as quickly as possible," he said.
Assoumani, who has been in power since 2016, said the target date is early 2019.
Opposition groups have dismissed the referendum result as a "farce".
Under the country's constitution adopted in 2001, power rotated every five years between the Comoros' three main islands as a means of balancing politics in the coup-prone country.
Following the referendum that arrangement will be dropped and replaced by a president elected for a five-year tenure, renewable for one term.
On Friday, opposition chief Mohamed Ali Soilih said Comoran opposition parties would form a united electoral front against Assoumani.
"The opposition is united," he said. "We have a vision. We will soon build a large front for the return of constitutional legality," he told reporters.
