SOMALILAND: A DEMOCRACY IN THE MAKING

[Suldaanka]

Voter education, ID cards, and polling equipment contribute to credible election

 

“We expect you to reach out to the world and show everyone what we have accomplished.”

 

 

February 2018—On Nov. 13, 2017, ruling party candidate Muse Bihi Abdi won the presidential election in Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia.  Some 565,000 Somalilanders cast their ballot in a well-organized and relatively trusted election—many for the first time.

 

Somaliland’s National Election Commission (NEC) succeeded in opening all 1,642 polling stations on time, and despite long morning lines of voters eager to cast their ballot, the polls closed punctually and peacefully.

 

The task of pulling together such a vast operation in a single day is a notable achievement. This young self-declared country of approximately 3.5 million struggles with recurrent devastating drought, a large population of internally displaced people, a 40 percent literacy rate, and few resources.  Past elections were positive steps in Somaliland’s democratic development, but they experienced many problems, including multiple registration of voters and claims of fraud.

 

Beginning in 2016, USAID partnered with the NEC to support the preparation of the elections.  First, voter ID cards needed to be printed and distributed to the population. Through a USAID activity, Bringing Unity, Integrity and Legitimacy to Democracy (BUILD), new printers and training on voter ID card production were provided to the NEC. Then, 4.5 tons of ballots and related forms were procured and delivered along with cardboard polling booths and polling kits.

 

Armed with anti-counterfeit printing and serial numbers on the ballots, tamper-evident envelopes, seals and personalized stamps, the NEC ensured that all materials were authentic, chain of custody was meticulously followed, and all election materials could be traced to the specific polling station where they were used. This election was therefore auditable end to end.

In the countdown to the elections, USAID, through implementing partner Creative Associates International, trained 6,000 party poll watchers to help promote transparency.  Several civil society organizations were also trained to help the NEC provide voter education.

 

Through community meetings and events, social media, loudspeakers and billboards, Somalilanders learned that their vote counted, and were proud to be part of Somaliland’s democracy in the making.

 

NEC Chairman Abdiqadir Iman Warsame confidently addressed the media on election day: “We expect you to reach out to the world and show everyone what we have accomplished.”

 

USAID’s BUILD project is currently focusing on preparations for Somalia’s 2020 federal elections. The Government of Somalia has committed to its first “one person, one vote” elections; in the past, officials were elected by a 14,000-member electoral college. The success of Somaliland’s presidential election can serve as a positive example as Somalia prepares for its own polls.

LINKS

[Che -Guevara]

LOL

 

Isn't too early to play the democracy card considering the wholesale robbery of the kursi by the Jeegaanta.

[Suldaanka]

13 minutes ago, Che -Guevara said:

LOL

 

Isn't too early to play the democracy card considering the wholesale robbery of the kursi by the Jeegaanta.

 

I am sure it bothers some folks but what Maryoolay (A southern term I am starting to use recently :D)  say doesn't matter. Because at the end of the day, Maryoolay says is less than 5% true and more than 95% spiced up sheeko.

 

What the outside world thinks and in particular those who are engaged in other election processes in similar countries elswhere, is what counts. 

 

There were definitely issues but to not to the scale that it would have changed the overall outcome. I know folks like yourself would rather believe what you wished for but that is not how the world works. You are only telling that to the simplistic reasoning department between your ears.    

[Che -Guevara]

It's not what Somalis say but it is what Tolka said. Should  we dig up Oodka aka Ducale wrote, what Cirro said or what many other landers yelled about?

 

The outside world is not as stupid as you would hoped them to be. I am sure they are aware of children getting voter IDs and what not.

[Suldaanka]

1 minute ago, Che -Guevara said:

It's not what Somalis say but it is what Tolka said. Should  we dig up Oodka aka Ducale wrote, what Cirro said or what many other landers yelled about?

 

The outside world is not as stupid as you would hoped them to be. I am sure they are aware of children getting voter IDs and what not.

 

Like I said, there were issues like there are issues in any election anywhere in the world including here in Australia where they have one of the best systems.  

 

The full report by the 60 foreign election observers will be coming out in next few weeks. It will reinforce, the issues seen, including under age voters, was not one that was affecting the overall elections results. 

 

 

 

[Holac]

Quote

There were definitely issues but to not to the scale that it would have changed the overall outcome.

 

Suldaanka, you and Mr. Oodwayne definitely disagree. Oodwayne confirmed the last election was a rigged election. 

[Suldaanka]

32 minutes ago, Holac said:

 

Suldaanka, you and Mr. Oodwayne definitely disagree. Oodwayne confirmed the last election was a rigged election. 

 

Generally speaking, Somalis will claim the ultimate violations and end of worlds scenarios. When in fact the issue at hand is not as big of a deal as it is being made out of. 

 

I am still waiting for official reports from Waddani Party. Has anyone seen it? 

[Old_Observer]

6 hours ago, Ducale said:

America the mother of all democracy has a hisyory of 'rigged election'.

 

 

One of the biggest jokes, but true was paying 20 dollars in New York for people not to vote. If they vote it was assumed they will vote democrat so the republican guy organized a group with stack of 20s and sent them near election booths to convince people not to vote and paying them 20s.

 

Deleting the computer memory right away after declaring the votes has become very common.

 

Asking drivers license or photo Id where people are not expected to drive or having valid - or have one.

 

Its so funny. In the south its out right, you would say how can people get away with this.