Somaliland: International Election Observers Applaud Country on Well-organized, Peaceful Polling

[Deeq A.]

At a press conference, the 60-plus international observers called here in Hargeisa, this afternoon, they stated that they were pleased to have observed an election day and related activities that ‘preserved the integrity of the electoral process”.

The observers pointed out that the Monday, yesterday,  polling brought out large queues of voters lining up to cast their votes for the presidential candidate of their choice among the three contenders.

They said there were a number of issues and challenges that did not, however, significantly impact on a balloting process that was as nearly faultless as could be hoped in the circumstances.

“Limitations to voter education may have had implications as voters appeared unsure as to how to vote,’ they observed. This, they said, exposed how some voters marked their ballot papers which were to have been strictly secret otherwise.

The observers were drawn from 27 countries around the world. Besides, missions heads and top officials from 17 embassies were congregated in Somaliland for observations of their own.

Below is a copy of the observers’ statement.