Somaliland Parliamentary and Local Councils Elections 2021 Free, Fair and Credible- Brenthurst Int Monitoring Mission Report

Somalilandsun: “From what the Brenthurst Foundation’s mission saw during its period and scope of observation, the 31 May 2021 Somaliland election process was free, fair and credible.

This is per a preliminary report by the Somaliland Elections Monitoring Mission-SEMM organized by Brenthurst Foundation with an all African 30 strong delegation.

The Somaliland parliamentary and local councils’ election were observed by two international missions and a large, independent domestic NGO mission which deployed over 900 monitors to polling stations.

In addition to the Somaliland Elections Monitoring Mission a twelve member UK organized, Limited International Elections Observer Mission-LIEOM also observed the country’s first joint polls .

Though without the official tag of observers the Elections were also monitored by a delegation of EU and member countries diplomats led by the European Union envoy to Somalia, Ambassador Nicholas Berlanga

Members of The Brenthurst Foundation’s Somaliland Election Monitoring Mission visited Somaliland between 26 May and 2 June 2021 to monitor Parliamentary and Local Government elections on 31 May 2021 at the invitation of President Muse Bihi Abdi.

This report was agreed to by the mission and handed over to the presidency on 1 June 2021.

General Observations

• This is the eighth democratic election in Somaliland, strengthening is its democratic tradition in a region not known for its democratic character. This should be recognized by the world and especially supported by Africa.
• Voting was generally peaceful, characterized by high levels of trust and enthusiasm from the electorate, which assisted in overcoming any frailties in the election management.
• The conduct of the election illustrates overall the existence of an effective state governed by its own unique form of social contract.
• The National Electoral Commission effectively administered a complex and logistically demanding election, with scope for improvements according to its own regulations and laws.
• There was consensus on disputes inside the polling stations. In Somaliland the software appears to work exceptionally well despite the rudimentary conditions and widespread poverty, centering on the trust and implicit confidence in the NEC. The hardware is a secondary tool and consideration in these circumstances.
• Local civil society is admirably represented though dependent on the quality of the local observer. SONSAF is a cost-effective means for donors to support democracy in action.
• The Somaliland proportional representation system is complex, especially for illiterate voters but the lack of winner-takes-all system makes for political system where loss does not mean dramatic ethnic exclusion from power and economic opportunity.
• The calm that characterized the process, the lack of party rancor on the day not only demonstrates people’s implicit confidence in the process but that Somaliland has used its own permutation of a modern democratic model to manage intra-clan cleavages.
• Allowing 15-year old voters is a striking feature of Somaliland’s democracy, but may assist in empowering a sense of responsibility and assist, too, including a critical and large demographic.
• The country has built on peace based organically on social consensus from the bottom up and developed a stable political environment centered around democratic participation which contains tensions and mediates conflict through democratic choice. This was noteworthy during the elections which took place on 31 May 2021.
• The three political parties contesting the election share a view that there is democratic progress. Although conditions were sometimes rudimentary, a can-do, consensus-based approach by all political parties and officials quickly resolved problems to the satisfaction of all.
• On election day there was a prominent presence of security officials who were preoccupied with managing queues which threatened to become disruptive in some locations. No security force interference with voting in any polling station was observed.

• The election was observed by two international missions and a large, independent domestic NGO mission which deployed over 900 monitors to polling stations. The NEC cooperated with and shared information freely with these observers and availed its leadership to brief and inform the delegations as requested. International monitors and observers were welcomed everywhere they went and even honoured in some polling stations.
• From what the Brenthurst Foundation’s mission saw during its period and scope of observation, the 31 May 2021 Somaliland election process was free, fair and credible. The Mission will revert with a statement outlining detailed recommendations.

Members of The Brenthurst Foundation’s Somaliland Election Monitoring Mission visited Somaliland between 26 May and 2 June 2021 to monitor Parliamentary and Local Government elections on 31 May 2021 at the invitation of President Muse Bihi Abdi.

This report was agreed to by the mission and handed over to the presidency on 1 June 2021.

Led by the Foundation’s director, Dr Greg Mills, the mission included the following members, all based in African countries:

1. E President Ernest Bai Koroma, Former President of Sierra Leone
2. Mr Alex Waiswa, National Unity Platform, Uganda
3. Mr Aly Verjee, Africa Center, US Institute for Peace, Ethiopia
4. Mr Abbasali Haji, MD, East Africa Capital, Tanzania
5. Mr Atom Lim, Special Advisor to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria
6. Mr Benjamin Ezeamalu, Premium Times, Nigeria
7. Mr Bradford Machila, Legal Adviser, UPND, Zambia
8. Ms Chipokota Mwanawasa, Lawyer, Zambia
9. Ms Dianna Games, CEO, Africa@Work, South Africa
10. Ms Gladys Hlatywayo, Secretary for International Relations, MDC, Zimbabwe
11. Ms Gwen Ngwenya, Head of Policy, Democratic Alliance, South Africa
12. Mr Johannes Martin, Shadow Minister for Defence, PDM, Namibia
13. Mr John Githongo, CEO, Inuka, Kenya
14. Mr John Steenhuisen, Leader, Democratic Alliance, South Africa
15. Dr Kizza Besigye, Leader, Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda
16. Mr Lutero Simamgo, MDM, Mozambique
17. Ambassador Lewis Brown, Former Representative to the UN, Liberia
18. Mr Peter Fabricius, Daily Maverick, South Africa
19. Mr Richard Harper, Richard Harper Logistics, South Africa
20. Mr Tendai Biti, Vice-President, MDC, Zimbabwe
21. Mr Zitto Zaberi Kabwe, Leader, ACT Wazalendo, Tanzania

The above members were specifically selected for their experience in either observing or participating in elections as members of political parties, sometime both.

The Brenthurst Foundation team comprised:

22. Dr Greg Mills, Director, South Africa
23. Mr Ray Hartley, Research Director, South Africa
24. Dr Lyal White, South Africa
25. Ms Marie-Noelle Nwokolo, Ghana
26. Ms Leila Jack, South Africa
27. Ms Gugu Resha, South Africa.

The mission travelled to six centres – Hargeisa, Berbera, Burao, Sheikh, Boroma and Gabiley , encompassing an estimated three-quarters of Somaliland’s 3.5 million population.

A total of 249 polling stations were observed by the group, comprising nine percent of the total number of 2709.

This report is a summary of their observations of the election of 31 May 2021.