While Djibouti officially celebrates Independence Day on June 27, May 28, 1977, marked the decisive electoral referendum where over 98% of voters chose independence from France. This historic moment followed decades of colonial rule and rising nationalist sentiment, especially among the Afar and Somali ethnic groups. The landslide vote stunned France and the international community, signaling the irreversible tide of African decolonization. Although the formal independence occurred a month later, May 28 remains the true moment of liberation for many Djiboutians. This date is remembered as the people\’s declaration of self-rule and sovereignty, making it a key milestone in the global narrative of Black and African autonomy.
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