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Link to original content: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Somaliland_presidential_election
2024 Somaliland presidential election - Wikipedia

2024 Somaliland presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Somaliland on 13 November 2024. In the election, incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi of the Kulmiye party was seeking a second and final term in office against the opposition candidates Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi "Irro" of the Waddani party, and Faysal Ali Warabe of the UCID party. The election was held concurrently with an election to determine the three national political parties for the next decade.

2024 Somaliland presidential election

← 2017 13 November 2024
Turnout52.8%
 
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (cropped).jpg
Muuse-Biixi-cropped.jpg
Nominee Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Muse Bihi Abdi
Party Waddani Kulmiye
Running mate Mohamed Aw-Ali Abdi[1] Mohamoud Hassan Saajin[2]
Popular vote 407,908 225,219
Percentage 63.92% 34.81%


President before election

Muse Bihi Abdi
Kulmiye

Elected President

Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Waddani

The election, which had an expected turnout of over one million people across two thousand polling stations, marked the fourth election in the de-facto nation's history. Alongside the restarting of the Las Anod conflict in the nation's east, which had delayed the election from taking place on the originally planned date of 13 November 2022, important issues voters wanted addressed by the next president included the economy/inflation, food security, job availability and the recognition of the nation on the global stage. The election was won by Abdullahi.

Background

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The election will mark the fourth direct presidential election since Somalilands adoption of a one person one vote system. The election was originally scheduled to be held in 2022 but was postponed by two years by the House of Elders, due to unresolved disputes between the government and the oppositions parties. Following the elections postponement, civil unrest broke out in the countries eastern Sool region after a man was killed. The unrest would ultimately lead to the start of the ongoing Las Anod conflict and Somaliland losing control of parts of Sool it had controlled since 2007.[3]

On 1 January 2024, during the lead up to the election, President Bihi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The signing of this MOU led to controversy in the greater region and prompted criticism from the Government of Somalia and its allies.[4]

Electoral system

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According to the constitution of Somaliland, presidential elections are to be held every five years.[5] On 24 September 2022, the National Electoral Commission announced that the elections, initially scheduled for 13 November 2022, had been postponed to July 2023.[6] On 1 October 2022, the House of Elders voted to further postpone the elections by two years instead of the nine months previously recommended by the National Electoral Commission, effectively scheduling the election for November 2024.[7] On 8 January 2024, the House of Elders were able to agree on election-related specifics, and voting was set to take place on 13 November 2024.[8]

Candidates

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Incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi of Kulmiye Peace, Unity, and Development Party (Kulmiye) is eligible to seek a second and final term in office, having first been elected in 2017. He was confirmed as his party's candidate during the party's 2023 convention in Burco.[9] President Bihi ran alongside a new running mate, Minister of Commerce Mohamoud Hassan Saajin. This is due to Vice President Abdirahman Saylici reaching his term limit, having serviced two terms as Vice President (first serving one term under President Silanyo and then a second under President Bihi). The two opposition parties of Waddani and the UCID have also announced their respective candidates for the presidency. Abdirahman Mohamed Irro ran as the candidate for the Waddani party, having also been the party's candidate in 2017.[10] Faysal Ali Warabe ran as the UCID candidate for the fourth consecutive time, making him the only person to be a candidate in all direct presidential elections held in Somaliland since 2003.[11]

Abdi's campaign focused on gathering diplomatic recognition for Somaliland, while Abdullahi's focused more on democratic reforms and social cohesion, and Warabe's for national unity.[12] Somaliland's representative to Kenya, Mohamed A. Mohamoud, stated that the entity was optimistic that Donald Trump, who had been elected as US President days prior, would recognize Somaliland as an independent state from Somalia.[13] The election was also set to decide if a controversial deal with Ethiopia which involved granting the landlocked nation sea access in the form of a naval base at the Port of Berbera, in return for an "in-depth assessment" of recognition.[14][15]

Conduct

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Direct voting began on 13 November 2024. According to interviews taken with locals, major issues voters wanted addressed included the economy/inflation, food security, and job availability.[12][14][15] Voter turnout was suspected to be more than one million at over two thousand polling stations.[12][14] Bihi publicly cast his vote, praying for a democratic "transfer of power in peace".[13] The Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced polls closed without issue by 6pm local time, and that votes will be counted and a winner announced by 21 November.[16]

Results

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Official results released on 19 November showed that Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi had won 63.92% of the vote, while incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi received 34.81%. The election was considered a landslide win for the opposition and a turning point as they come to power for the first time in 14 years.[17]

Abdullahi reacted in a conciliatory tone stating that "everyone had won" and that "no one was defeated", and that it was "an election of brotherhood, aimed at unifying the people".[18]

The incumbent Bihi's loss was attributed to his widespread unpopularity, caused by several contentious decisions, in particular the extension of his presidential term in 2022, which led to deadly protests, and the mishandling of the dispute with the Eastern Sool.[19]

CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Abdirahman Mohamed AbdullahiMohamed Ali AbdiWaddani407,90863.95
Muse Bihi AbdiMohamoud Hassan SaajinPeace, Unity, and Development Party225,21935.31
Faysal Ali WarabeAbdirashid Duale DiriyeFor Justice and Development4,6990.74
Total637,826100.00
Valid votes637,82698.45
Invalid/blank votes10,0371.55
Total votes647,863100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,227,04852.80
Source: HO, Registered

Reactions

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References

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  1. ^ "Candidates".
  2. ^ "Xisbiga Kulmiye oo isu diyaarinayaa doorashada ayaa doortay hogaan cusub". 30 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Fierce Clashes Erupt Between Somaliland and SSC Forces". Halqabsi News. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  4. ^ "As breakaway Somaliland votes, its leaders spy international recognition". Reuters. 13 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Somaliland Constitution". Somaliland Law. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Somaliland postpones presidential election until next year". Reuters. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Somaliland Lawmakers Vote to Extend President's Term by Two Years". VOA. October 2022. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Somaliland's House of Elders Approves Law for Combined Presidential and Party Elections". Halqabsi News. 8 January 2024. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Somaliland's ruling party secures re-election Bihi as Presidential candidate". Somaliland.com. 21 August 2023. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Somalia: Ethiopia & Recognition Top Agenda As Somaliland Presidential Candidates Launch Campaigns". AllAfrica. 10 September 2024. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Faysal Ali Warabe warns Somaliland government about election disruptions". Hiiraan Online. 6 June 2024. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Faruk, Omar (13 November 2024). "Voting underway in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland". AP News. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  13. ^ a b Sheikh, Abdi; Rao, Sonia (13 November 2024). "As Somaliland votes, its leaders see international recognition in reach". Reuters. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "Somaliland eyes recognition as it goes to polls". Aljazeera. 13 November 2024. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Somaliland presidential election: 7 things about why polls in Somalia's breakaway region matter". Firstpost. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  16. ^ Hassan, Mohamed Olad (13 November 2024). "Vote counting underway in Somaliland after peaceful election". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Somalia: End of era as Muse Bihi loses in Somaliland election". Garowe. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  18. ^ Mohamed Sheikh Nor (20 November 2024), "Opposition leader victorious in self-declared Somaliland elections", VOA, archived from the original on 21 November 2024, retrieved 24 November 2024
  19. ^ Tunbridge, Gisa (19 November 2024), Opposition leader Abdirahman 'Irro' wins Somaliland election, The Africa Report, archived from the original on 20 November 2024, retrieved 24 November 2024
  20. ^ a b "Somaliland opposition leader wins presidential election". Associated Press. 19 November 2024. Archived from the original on 19 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Ethiopia Congratulates Somaliland Over "Free and Fair Election"". Borkena. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  22. ^ https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202411260018
  23. ^ "US congratulates Somaliland president-elect, praised peaceful transfer of power". X. 19 November 2024.