Somaliland set for presidential election after delays

Women in the city of Hargeisa. Eduardo Soteras/AFP via Getty Images

HARGEISA, Somalia - The poll agency for the breakaway region of Somaliland is making final preparations ahead of the November 13th presidential election, a defining moment for Muse Bihi Abdi of the Kulmiye party, who postponed the elections a few months ago.

Bihi, who has been leading the region since 2017, is facing a reality test from Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi, the leader of the Waddani party, which won most parliamentary seats in 2021 local polls, leapfrogging the ruling Kulmiye party which had 30 legislators.

The results are expected to shape the region’s political future and strengthen Somaliland’s regional democratic path. The elections come a few months after the region triggered a potential international dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia.

In what came as a surprise, Somaliland signed an agreement with Ethiopia which gives it 20 kilometres of access to the Red Sea in exchange for recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state. The move has angered Somalia.

In light of these developments, Mohamed Abdillahi Omar, a leader of Somaliland’s opposition Waddani party and former Foreign Minister, has spoken on the MoU's potential impact should his party secure victory in the upcoming elections.

"We will make an informed decision based on Somaliland’s long-term national interest and the principles of good neighborly relations," he said in an interview with Addis Standard

According to analysts, the ruling Kulmiye party under Bihi is focusing on Western alliances, establishing informal missions in cities like London, Washington, and Dubai. These connections led to high-profile exchanges, including an unofficial visit by Bihi to Washington in 2022 and a UK parliamentary delegation to Hargeisa.

In contrast, the opposition Waddani party aims to broaden Somaliland’s diplomatic reach. If elected, Waddani plans to engage with African and Global South nations like Kenya and Senegal, seeing these regional alliances as vital amid shifting global dynamics.

Muse Hassan Yusuf, the Electoral Commission Chairman, said all the major parties led by Kulmiye, Waddani, and Kaah have been slapped with fines for violating campaign rules. Biometric technology shall be used in major cities while remote areas shall use manual registers for the 1 million voters who may participate in the exercise.

GAROWE ONLINE