Opposition party rejects Kahin as Somaliland president

The main opposition party in the self-declared republic of Somaliland says it does not recognise the legitimacy of President Dahir Riyale Kahin, according to a statement issued by the party on Sunday.

A senior official of the Kulmiye (Solidarity) party told IRIN that it was prepared to talk to the ruling party, the Unity of Democrats Party (UDUB), "so long as they are not claiming to be the winners" of last month's elections.

Kahin of the UDUB, who had been the incumbent president, was confirmed as the winner of last month's disputed presidential election by the Somaliland High Court.

Kulmiye's presidential candidate, Ahmad Muhammad Silanyo - Kahin's main challenger, told IRIN at the time that his party "categorically rejected" the results of the 14 April election.

The Kulmiye senior official said the party "does not recognise UDUB as the winner of the elections. The court's ruling was not based on the facts, and is an injustice".

"In the national interest, we are calling on UDUB to come to the negotiating table without any preconditions, and as equals", he added. "Kulmiye will do everything in its power to safeguard the country's peace and stability."

Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 after the collapse of the Siyad Barre government, but has not been internationally recognised. Over the past decade, it has moved away from conflict, while the rest of Somalia has been locked in civil strife.