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Somaliland polls hailed as a success

    NAIROBI

    Ahmad Haji Ali Adami, chairman of the electoral commission in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, has described this weekend's local elections as a success.

    According to Radio Hargeysa, he praised the "patriotism and hard work" of Somalilanders, saying they gave themselves "the responsibility of maintaining peace". Vote counting was underway, he added on Monday.

    Independent observers also described the polling - which took place on Sunday throughout the breakaway region - as peaceful.

    However, there was no voting in the disputed Lasanod district following an attack earlier this month on the visiting Somaliland leader, Dahir Riyaleh Kahin.

    Lasanod is the capital of Sool region which - along with Sanaag region - is claimed by both Somaliland and the neighbouring self-declared autonomous region of Puntland. The regions fall geographically within the borders of the former British Somaliland, but most of the clans are associated with Puntland.

    The local elections - in which six parties participated - were postponed from October. According to the electoral commission, this was due to delays in the registration of the parties.

    Somaliland is due to hold presidential and parliamentary elections next year.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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