Somaliland Opposition Parties Ruled Out to Participate in Presidential Election

[Siciid1986]

Hargeisa, Somaliland (Somaliland Globe)- Amidst confusion, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) of Somaliland has announced on Sunday that the campaign of the presidential election scheduled to take place on 27 September will officially start on Monday, 3rd August.

 

The two main opposition parties KULMIYE and UCID however immediately ruled out to participate in the forthcoming presidential election because the president and the “highly partisan” NEC decided together that the election would go ahead without the use of voter list, which will mean everyone and all ages can vote.

 

“We will not participate in the presidential election until the issue of the voter list is resolved,” Keise Hassan Ige, the Secretary General of KULMIYE party told the BBC radio, fearing lack of voter list will almost certainly lead to the election being rigged by the government. The second largest political party, UCID, also issued an official statement in which it said it “will not participate in any election whatsoever without a voter list”.

 

When, on 27 July, the final Voter list was produced by the Technical Team of Interpeace, the agency responsible for the digital voter registration process, which was later kicked out of the country, the president immediately rejected the production of that voter list, saying it was not conducted in the spirit of the law and in the best interest of the country- an explanation rejected by opposition political parties.

 

“The election will go ahead without the need for a voter list,” president Rayale told the VOA radio.

 

President Rayale however reneged on an earlier agreement signed by his ruling party, UDUB, calling for all political parties to honour the production of the final list by Interpeace. The decision therefore by the Electoral Commission and the president, which calls for the election to take place without the use of voter list is contrary to the spirit of Somaliland’s Electoral Law.

 

President Rayale made it unequivically clear that his decision is final.

 

President Rayale’s expulsion of Interpeace from the country was roundly condemned by all political parties and civil society groups as well as the leaders of the two Houses of Somaliland’s parliament.