Tuesday July 18, 2023
Hargeisa (HOL) - The Somaliland Electoral Commission declared on Tuesday that it will conduct its long-awaited national union and presidential elections on December 28, 2023, and November 13, 2024, respectively. The announcement comes as part of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland's effort to resolve ongoing political disputes.
The national union elections aim to identify and certify three national parties for the next decade, while the presidential vote will determine the country's leader. The commission is urging legislative councils to finalize draft election rules and calling for collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure smooth electoral proceedings.
Despite this, two members of the Electoral Commission have opposed the scheduling, claiming that the decision breaches established protocols. Spokesperson Abdiaziz Hirsi Warsame, one of the dissenting members, asserted that the announcement was premeditated, going against the commission's standard procedures.
Warsame also revealed that they had consulted with civil society organizations, political parties, and the people of Somaliland to reach a consensus on the election's timing, yet the decision was unilaterally made.
An ongoing conflict about the sequence of the elections has caused a two-year deadlock between the ruling party, which advocates for the national union elections to take precedence, and the opposition, which wants the presidential election held first. More than ten national union parties are registered to vie for validation as one of the three recognized national parties.