Wednesday November 16, 2022
Hargeisa (HOL) - Following reports of gunfire in Erigabo and Bur'ao on Sunday night, the Somaliland government has warned against opposition protests.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Somaliland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government urged opposition parties "to follow the law, the constitution and the electoral process and desist from any action that could incite political unrest or violence."
"This would jeopardize Somaliand's long-term efforts to democratize and construct institutions. "
The government said it would adhere to an election timeline set by the National Electoral Commission.
Opposition leaders declared they would no longer recognize Muse Bihi's as President after his constitutional mandate expired Sunday. They urged the international community not to engage with the Somaliland government, which it described as "illegitimate."
The rejection of the presidential mandate extension fuels concerns about renewed regional tensions and political violence.
Three young men and four police officers were reportedly injured during Sunday protests in Burao.
An umbrella group representing nine political parties in Somaliland appeared to back the government by calling for the political associations' election to be held before the presidential election.
Somaliland's complex multi-party system only allows for three parties to compete in legislative and presidential elections at the national level. Somaliland's political associations compete for a spot on the ballot at the beginning of every decade.
"At this juncture, the political associations have as much right as the national parties whose term is to expire on 26 December 2022. Accordingly, they will not agree to any settlement they were not party to."
On Tuesday, the nine political associations said they were just as eligible to run for the top leadership positions as any other political party in Somaliland. It added that stakeholders could only solve the current electoral stalemate through dialogue.
President Bihi's constitutional mandate expired on Sunday. However, lawmakers voted to extend it for another two years last month after the electoral commission called for a delay in the elections due to financial and technical constraints. No date has been set, but the commission said that it would need at least nine months.
