Somaliland: Government Accused of Massive Vote Rigging

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“We have evidence of government and ruling Kulmiye party vote rigging in several regions” Hasan Isse Jama

By: Yusuf M Hasan

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – “we shall not stand aside and let the government rig elections in favour of the ruling Kulmiye party”

This was said by the leader of Haqsoor party Mr. Hasan Isse Jama during a press conference in Hargeisa where he and other party leaders accused the administration of spearheading vote rigging in Gabile, Sool, Salal, Awdal and Toghdeer regions.

The leadership of Haqsoor party which is one of the seven political groups that contested the just concluded local council elections revealed the existence of evidence supplied by party agents in various polling centres in the regions mentioned.

Mr. Hasan Isse who is also the party’s presidential, urges the election body to review results from the affected areas since amble evidence exists as proof of the government and ruling Kulmiye party vote rigging in several regions of the country.

Said he, “We ask the election commission to review the results in the affected areas as we shall not stand aside and watch while our party, supporters and candidates are denied through devious means”

According to the Haqsoor eastern regions campaign Chief Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim ‘Kabo’, voters in several areas of Sool region where he was stationed were astounded to learn that the ruling party got the highest number of votes in the region where nobody voted for it.

Kabo told the press conference that fortunes change from the fair to otherwise when agents of Kulmiye party supported by the Sool regional governor took over polling centres and overtly started rigging.

“This is a misfortune to the people of Sool region and a reversal should be made to ensure that residents are led by individuals and parties of their choice” Said Kabo.

As per what transpired in Gabile and Toghdeer regions, the agents of Kulmiye assisted by government officials arrived at various polling centres with empty ballot boxes that were filled with ballot papers that were marked for Kulmiye.

According to the Haqsoor campaign chief for Toghdeer and Gabile regions Mr. Aden Ruush, the ballot papers used to rig for Kulmiye are the ones that were denied voters in several polling centres in those areas even after pleas to the national election commission for resupply.

Said he, “NEC should act impartially and stop following dictates of the ruling Kulmiye party and the government’

These accusations from Haqsoor which come on the heels of similar sentiments made by UCID another party that contested elections are serious thus require careful consideration before final election results are announced.

UCID whose leader Feisal Ali Warabe accused NEC of procuring and actually supplying chemicals used to remove the paint put on a each person after voting thus enable them to vote several times couple with the Haqsoor claim is tantamount to not free and unfair elections.

Meanwhile all observers both local and international who are still investigating several irregularities and are actually aware of them should come clean and call a spade a spade in order to maintain their credibility.