Somaliland: President Sternly Warns against Post-Election Violence

[Deeq A.]

By M.A. Egge
The President H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Mohamud Silanyo has sternly warned against hooliganism, violence and illegal demonstrations as the tallying of votes at the headquarters of the national Electoral Commission (NEC) is underway.
The President who hailed all and sundry in the whole nation for participating in the elections in mature and patriotic manner also praised the personnel security in the country for their vigilance and patriotism.
He described the patriotism shown by the security personnel in the parable of a tree being pelted that has into fruits fall to its assaulters hence hailed them for their servitude in an election exercise he observes as a triumph for the nation whereby the good image earned ought to be safe-guarded.
The Head of State gave the warning following post-election incidences of skirmishes in the city Hargeisa and Burao in Togdeer after opposition party supporters ran amok crying foul before the final results have not only been announced but while the votes tallying was still going on.
The President noted that the 13th November 2017 was a great day for the nation which woke up early in the morning hence went to the polls queuing to exercises their political rights.
In a long passionate speech that he personally directed through public media to the nation addressing “the young, the old, males and females, the urbanites and those in the rural areas, to those within the country and abroad etc” the President profusely thanked the nation and noted the wonderful manner in which the exercise of the electioneering processes took place.
He precisely pointed out the fact that the whole elections were positively held not only in the local press but also in those of international press houses.
The President revealed that the elections took place in the whole of the country’s regions comprising of 21 electoral constituencies hence it is only in four area which were skipped following boundary issues.
He described the exercise as a national triumph given the way it came to pass and how it has been reflected within and without.
The President particularly pointed the fact that the election was effectively implemented without tangible foreign support whereby much of the bills were footed locally.
The sternly warned against wayward personalities against inciting the members of the public into indulging in breach of public peace.
Following slight incidences of violent demos on Thursday evening that were staged in some parts, shots had to be used to bring back sanity.

The President noted 19 personnel security casualties and two deaths on part of civilians whose families he immediately condoled.
He appealed to the presidential candidates, their supporters and the nation at large to exhibit restraint and preach the same to each other.
He said that the good image the nation earned was too dear to let it get demeaned easily or dented anyhow.
He described the patriotism shown by the security personnel in the parable of a tree being pelted that has into fruits fall to its assaulters hence hailed them for their servitude.
Beckoning the security services to be even more diligent he asked them to persevere in their efforts of safeguarding peaceful stability and cohesion so as not to allow the hard earned nation’s good image to be
dented; but in the same breath warned that culprits will face the full brunt of the law in case they were found erring.