More than a million voters in Somaliland cast their ballots on Wednesday in peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections, drawing interest from both local and international communities. Incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi of the ruling Kulmiye party faces rivals Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro of the Waddani party and Faisal Ali Warabe of UCID. President Bihi, in office since 2017, recently sparked controversy by signing a naval corridor agreement with Ethiopia in the Red Sea, which Somalia criticized as a violation of its sovereignty.
Irro, a former Speaker of the House, focused his campaign on unity and security, pledging to reassess Somaliland’s stance toward Somalia if beneficial. Warabe, a veteran politician, has continued his long-standing efforts to secure international recognition for Somaliland’s independence, a central goal of UCID’s platform.
Polling began at 6:30 a.m. local time, with early crowds forming and voters reporting a calm atmosphere at the start of the day. According to reports from the ground, residents in Hargeisa observed that no issues were encountered early on, with many voters peacefully waiting in line. By 9:00 a.m., voters were still seen forming long lines at central polling stations, including Khayriyadda in Hargeisa.
Some opposition supporters expressed concerns over potential election interference, although Waddani, the main opposition party, has not made any official statements about this. Each party has stationed observers at polling locations, contributing to a generally calm and orderly voting process as of mid-morning. The Election Commission introduced biometric eye-scanning technology in select locations to enhance voter identification and reduce the potential for fraud, marking a technological milestone in Somaliland’s electoral procedures.
