By: Yusuf M Hasan
LUGAHAYA (Somalilandsun) – A citizen has lost his life while two others are in hospital with serious injuries.
A resident of Lughaya district of Awdal region lost his life early this morning while two others were injured by friendly police fire.
The death of the late Jimbir Dahir Tarafiq and the two injuries occurred at a polling booth in Lughaya town where police shot in the air to disperse residents who were demonstrating in protest against the National Election Commission’s-NEC decision to shift a polling booth to another area.
According to police sources in the area the shots that ensued in the fatalities were shot in the air thus deter the residents from destroying ballot papers that had been delivered to the scene, a local school in the town.
The residents who were protesting against the election body claim that there are a few polling stations in the area following a decision by NEC that resulted in either the shifting of polling centres or amalgamation.
According to Reporter Omar Mohamed Farah of Somaliland.org website the situation in Lughaya is back to normal while the deceased has already been buried and the two injured are recovering nicely after receiving medical attention at a local hospital.
While several communities have complained against the current NEC polling centres realignment this is the first recorded fatality from the dispute between residents and NEC.
Meanwhile residents of Erigavo took to the streets protesting against the National Election Commission which they accused of reducing the number of polling centres in the district thus denied a large segment of citizens the right to vote.
According to the minister of interior Hon Mohamed Duur Arale the two incidents in Lugahaya and Erigavo have been solved and the situation is back to normal and elections will be undertaken in the areas as planned.
