Violent protests erupt in Somaliland amid voter fraud claims

With results from almost all of the polling stations counted, the ruling Kulmiye party was shown with a wide lead over UCID and Waddani in the race for the 82-seat parliament and the civic leaders.

News Keydmedia Online
5 June 2021

HARGEISA, Somalia – The parliamentary and local council elections in Somaliland took an ominous turn Saturday as violent protests erupted in the region after opposition alleged voter fraud.

Hundreds of angry staged a rally in Gibiley and nearby areas, burning tires to block key public transport operating between Hargeisa and Gibiley after the candidate from UCID whom they voted for didn’t win.

With results from almost all of the polling stations counted, the ruling Kulmiye party was shown with a wide lead over UCID and Waddani in the race for the 82-seat parliament and the civic leaders.

In the elections held on May 31 – more than 1 million voters voted in the poll in which nearly 250 candidates running for 82 parliamentary seats, and about 1,000 contesting 249 councilor posts.

This is the first parliamentary election to be conducted in 16 years and the delay is attributed to a deadlock between the three political parties over the formation of the region’s election commission.

In the latest presidential election in Dec 2017, several people were killed and dozens wounded after violent protests broke out following a dispute over the votes in the Sahil region, where Waddani is dominant.

KEYDMEDIA English