Somalia: Somaliland swears in its 5th president

HARGEISA, Somaliland - Muse Bihi Abdi has been sworn-in as the 5th President of the breakaway republic of Somaliland in northern Somalia during a colorful ceremony in Hargeisa city, Garowe Online reports.

Delegates from East Africa and low-ranking officials have participated in the inaugural event, in which the new president took formally the oath of office from Mohamed Mohamud Silanyo, who has been in power since July 2010.

Meanwhile, the leader of Somaliland's main opposition leader, Abdirahman Irro is still dissatisfied and did not participate the peaceful power transfer between the new President and his predecessor.

Despite accepting the polls result, Irro alleged ruling Kulmiye party of electoral fraud, irregularities, and vote-rigging, a claim that was denied by the Electoral Commision.

The dispute has led to deadly protests in several towns, including Burco and the state's administrative capital, Hargeisa.

Abdi was declared the winner of the tightly contested Nov 13 ballot by the Electoral Commission after securing 55.19% of the votes cast by more than 700,000 registered voters across the six regions of Somaliland.

The new leader, a former Airforce pilot in the Somali government of General Mohamed Siad Barre which was toppled in 1991, months before Somaliland's unilateral declaration of independence from the rest of the Country.

GAROWE ONLINE