Somaliland Election 2010: All Three Somaliland presidential candidates casted their vote today:Photos

VIDEO:Gobolka Saaxill, Daawo Qaabkii Codaynta Doorashada Madaxtooyada 26th June 2010 Somaliland Election

video:Gobolka Saaxill, Daawo Qaabkii Codaynta Doorashada Madaxtooyada:

Somaliland elections on course for Saturday

Somaliland election: International observers for presidential poll dispatch teams across the country ahead of Saturday’s crucial vote

The international mission to observe Somaliland’s long-delayed presidential elections on 26 June 2010, led by UK based development agency Progressio, the Development Planning Unit at University College London and Somaliland Focus (UK) notes that good progress is being made towards holding the scheduled vote this Saturday. The first teams of observers left the mission’s base in Hargeisa for Somaliland’s regions on 24 and 25 June. Country-wide, all teams are expected to commence observation of the vote on the morning of 26 June.

The three organisations were invited in January 2009 by Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) to act as coordinators of the international observation mission for presidential elections in the internationally-unrecognised Republic of Somaliland.

Given past difficulties, recent months have seen rapid progress towards a free and fair election, a clear indication of the effectiveness of the new NEC which was put in place after the parties agreed to a revised timetable for elections in late 2009.

In the week since the team assembled in Hargeisa (comprising 59 individuals from 16 countries, including diaspora Somalilanders) much work has been done. The teams have met the incumbent president and the two opposition candidates to hear points of view on the progress towards polling day where all three candidates pledged to accept the result of the poll.

However, the team has noted various complaints from the political parties about each others’ actions and of media bias. Fears about gaps in the voter registration process and the potential for attempted fraud have also been raised. Nevertheless, the observers mission agrees that the campaign has generally been peaceful and good-natured; that campaign ‘rules’ have on the whole worked well, and that the people of Somaliland are still enthusiastic about the election, despite the many delays. Indeed, a carnival atmosphere has prevailed in Hargeisa in recent days.

The potential for unrest does however remain high, the mission notes, and security threats around the election cannot be underestimated (ensuring the security of observers themselves, especially those in the regions, has been of paramount importance to the mission’s leaders). Nonetheless, the mission’s co-ordinators are hopeful that no major disruption will take place on polling day or in the immediate aftermath

The team are looking forward to a free and fair voting process and the smooth collation of the results in the coming days. Michael Walls, joint co-ordinator of the observation team, said: “we are heartened at the good spirit in which campaigning has taken place and are optimistic that the vigilance of Somalilanders and their evident commitment to a peaceful election will ensure that the small minority who wish to disrupt the process will be prevented from doing so.”

Dr Steve Kibble, also of the observation team, said: “We look forward to a peaceful election process that will express the will of the Somaliland people clearly and decisively. We are greatly encouraged by the willingness of the three party candidates to respect the result of the election.”
A post-poll press release will be issued by the election observation coordinators on June 28 2010, with a press conference at 11am at the Hotel Mansoor, Hargeisa. All interested media are invited to attend.

Notes

1. For further information or to arrange an interview with a member of the coordination team, contact Conrad Heine in Somaliland, tel +252 2 409 5464 or by email at conradheine@gmail.com

2. Somaliland’s Presidential elections have been repeatedly delayed. The poll has previously been scheduled for March/April 2008, December 2008, March 2009 and September 2009.

3. Somaliland is situated in Somalia’s northwest. It declared unilateral independence from the failed Somali state in 1991 and has since been a haven of relative peace whilst violence and instability has characterised Somalia, its capital Mogadishu and more recently the Gulf of Aden.

4. Progressio’s involvement in the mission follows its leadership of the international monitoring team for Somaliland’s inaugural parliamentary elections in 2005, judged by observers as “basically free and fair.”

5. Progressio is an international charity with Catholic roots that enables poor communities to solve their own problems through support from skilled workers. And we lobby decision-makers to change policies that keep people poor. For further information see: http://www.progressio.org.uk

VIDEO:AljazeeraEnglish Inside Story Debate:Somaliland vs Somalia

ALJAZEERA ENGLISH – INSIDE STORY

Debate: Somaliland vs Somalia

Amid the chaos that has afflicted Somalia in recent decades, there is an oasis of relative calm that is ignored by the rest of the world. It is now set to hold its second democratic presidential elections in eight years. Somaliland, which is situated in Somalia’s northwest, is a haven of relative peace while violence and instability has characterised Somalia, its capital Mogadishu and more recently the Gulf of Aden. So why has Somaliland succeeded in creating effective governance and a viable economy while mainland Somalia tops the list of failed states with rampant lawlessness and piracy? Joining the programme are Mohammed Abdillahi Omar, an analyst and commentator on political issues in the Horn of Africa, Abdi Samatar, a  professor of geography and global studies at the University of Minnesota, and Afyare Elmi, a lecturer in international politics at Qatar University. This episode of Inside Story aired First Wednesday, June 23, 2010.

VIDEO:New AljazeeraEnglish report on Somaliland Election 24th June

Somaliland set to decide

Somaliland is heading to the polls for its second election in eight years, with the current president facing a strong challenge.

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Adow reports from the capital, Hargeysa, in the lead-up to Saturday’s ballot.

VIDEO:AljazeeraEnglish report on Somaliland Election

Somaliland: Election Fever!

Somaliland Presidential Elections are to take place on June 26th; Competition is fierce, but Democracy prevails
HARGEISA— The time is closing in as Somaliland population is preparing themselves to cast their votes on the 26th day of June which is only five days away.

It is time for every Somalilander to exercise his/her democratic right. It is therefore imperative for all of us to cast our votes in peace. Somaliland has had threats from groups which envy its development. Reports of explosive materials being seized in parts of the country has been received and the latest being the Burao episode where one security officer lost his life recently. Somalilanders should make their choice and at the same time keep an eye on the security.

the international community are keenly following events on ground and the reputation of this great nation depends on how we conduct our elections.

The Somaliland Electoral Commission has up to date shown impartiality and it should keep its record up, up to the last day when they announce the final results.

The three political parties on their side should keep their promises and accept the final result as announced by the NEC.

They should avoid squabbles and encounters because this could dent the good image of Somaliland in the eyes of the world. All the three Presidential candidates should put the country’s interest before their individual one. Even a fool’s mind knows that only one person will emerge the winner, the losers should congratulate the winner and avoid chaos.

The three competing individuals have equal rights to lead the country and all the voters have equal rights to vote for the candidate of their choice. Whoever wins is our President and remember competition does not make all the competitors happy.

“May God bless our great nation, may we vote in peace and may the best candidate win!!!!”
(Somalilandpress)

Cautious welcome for progress over impending Somaliland elections

The international development agency Progressio, the Development Planning Unit at University College London (UCL) and Somaliland Focus UK has welcomed the good progress being made toward the holding of Somaliland’s long-delayed presidential elections on the scheduled date of 26 June 2010.

The three organisations, whose advance mission is now established in Hargeisa, were invited in January 2009 by Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) to act as coordinators of the international observation mission for presidential elections in the internationally-unrecognised Republic of Somaliland.

Given past difficulties, recent months have seen rapid progress towards a free and fair election. The election looks set to take place on the scheduled date. This is a clear indication of the effectiveness of the new NEC, put in place after the parties agreed to a revised timetable for elections.

Since campaigning started in early June, there have been no major campaign-related incidents of violence. The agreement between the three parties to hold rallies on separate days appears to be holding. In security terms, an incident involving alleged political Islamists in the town of Burco in early June regrettably resulted in the death of a member of Somaliland’s police force. This has given cause for concern in the context of threats to disrupt the election, but also demonstrates the preparedness of the Somaliland population and police.

There are outstanding logistical issues to be resolved around the security of observers, which are essential for the mission to proceed, but we look forward to a speedy resolution of these. Michael Walls, a joint co-ordinator, said “we hope to have around 70 international observers from a wide variety of countries, along with 800 local counterparts. Naturally, we are actively monitoring the security situation in order to ensure that a balance is maintained between the widest possible coverage of the poll and the personal security of the observation teams.”

His colleague, Dr Steve Kibble, said “we are encouraged by the overwhelming desire of the people of Somaliland to see a peaceful election, recognised as such both nationally and internationally. At this stage, we expect that such an outcome can be achieved.”

The presidential elections in Somaliland have been repeatedly delayed. The poll has previously been scheduled for March/April 2008, December 2008, March 2009 and September 2009.

Somaliland is situated in Somalia’s northwest. It declared unilateral independence from the failed Somali state in 1991 and has since been a haven of relative peace whilst violence and instability has characterised Somalia, its capital Mogadishu and more recently the Gulf of Aden.

Somaliland electoral commission:1 Million 69 thousand 914 voters in Somaliland presidential Election

Hargeisa: Somaliland electoral commission announced today in press conference the number of people holding the voting cards in Somaliland presidential election.

Somaliland voters

In a press conference, electoral commission of Somaliland held in Hargeisa the capital of republic of Somaliland said the number of people registrated to vote in 26 of June 2010 Somaliland presidential election is 1 million 69 thousand 914 eligible voters.(1,69,914) voters

The report from electoral commission of Somaliland presidential election comes six days before the election date which three parties are taking part in.

Somaliland finally prepares presidential polls

16 April – The National Electoral Commission in the Republic of Somaliland finally is ready to organise the country’s second presidential elections in June this year, two years late.

According to a brief news release by the government in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission has presided over a meeting with the countries political parties, agreeing on the last details for holding the twice postponed presidential elections.

During the meeting, Somalilander political parties signed the code of conduct for the upcoming presidential election. Representatives from President Dahir Riyale Kahin’s ruling UDUB party agreed with the main opposition party Kulmiye and other opposition parties.

The electoral commission presided the meeting that slated the presidential elections to be held in June 2010 “after registration of voters list is completed and new voter identification cards are issued,” according to the government release.

Somaliland organised its first presidential elections in April 2003. The poll, which was deemed both free and fair by international observers, ended in one of the closest poll races ever seen in Africa. President Riyale won the wote with 42.08 percent of the poll, followed by Kulmiye’s candidate receiving 42.07 percent of votes.

President Riyale’s term ended in 2008, but as the electoral commission was not able to organise a nation-wide poll at that state, the Hargeisa parliament agreed to exend his term by one year. Last year, parties agreed to organise elections in September, but again the term of President Riyale had to be extended because voter lists were not ready.

Now, however, the under-funded National Electoral Commission has announced it is close to finishing the electoral preparations. It has established an electronic voter registration system and has started issuing voting registration cards to citizens.