Somaliland: Unprecedented Turnout And Peaceful Conclusion To Elections

[Deeq A.]

The Somaliland parliamentary and local government elections held on Monday, May 31st saw an unprecedented turnout and a peaceful conclusion to the poll.

 

 

From Sanaag to Selel, Awdal to Sool, the long lines of voters stretched back as far as the eye could see. Voters of every age and gender waited patiently to cast their vote.

 

 

Voters in all parts of the country began to line-up in the early hours of the morning, in some cases, several hours before the polls opened.

 

 

The President of the Republic, Muse Bihi Abdi and the two opposition leaders, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi of Waddani and Faysal Ali of UCID, cast their votes at the Civil Service Commission building in Hargeysa. Meanwhile Vice-President, Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail, voted in Borama.

 

 

Despite the large the turnout, the voting was peaceful and orderly, if at times slow, due to the number of voters and the strict identification process.

 

 

The international monitors led by former Sierra Leone president, Ernest Bai Koroma, were effusive in their praise of the voter participation and the organization of the poll by the Somaliland National Election Commission (NEC).

 

 

The counting has already began at local and national centers, with representatives from each party present at the count and preliminary results are expect shortly. However, the final results will take a few more days to determine.

 

 

Sources indicate that the polls will be deemed fair and free by the international monitors observing the process. 

 

 

Qarannews.

Qaran News