Opposition leader victorious in self-declared Somaliland elections

Mogadishu, Somalia — 

The caller statesmanlike elections successful the self-declared Republic of Somaliland person concluded with a landslide triumph for Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, commonly known arsenic Irro. He competed against the incumbent president, Muse Bihi Abdi. Irro could reopen dialog with the national authorities of Somalia that stalled aft Bihi signed a Memorandum of Understanding that leases a information of onshore and oversea to Ethiopia successful speech for recognition.

Irro received 64 percent of the votes cast, portion the Kulmiye Party, led by outgoing President Muse Bihi Abdi, garnered 34 percent. Following his victory, Irro expressed gratitude to those who worked to assistance him win.

He emphasized that everyone had won contiguous and that nary 1 was defeated. And helium Irro focused connected unity of the radical successful his speech.

Irro said that this predetermination was not astir 1 radical being defeated portion different emerged victorious; rather, it was an predetermination of brotherhood, aimed astatine unifying the radical and fostering coexistence and development.

In Burco, the second-largest metropolis successful Somaliland, ample crowds gathered astatine a quadrate to observe Irro's landslide victory.

Among them was Hawa Elmi, a pistillate wearing the emblem of Irro’s Wadani party.

Elmi expressed her joy, saying that aft much than 30 years, her governmental enactment had yet won the presidency.

She said that she is blessed that aft 34 years of superior attempts astatine gaining power, she is yet arrogant to person elected a president who is loyal to some the state and its people.

Somaliland declared its independency from the remainder of Somalia successful 1991, pursuing the illness of the subject authorities led by the precocious dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

Somalia has ne'er accepted the breakaway, nor has it received planetary recognition. Efforts by the planetary assemblage to broker a colony betwixt the 2 person been unsuccessful.

With Irro's victory, discussions betwixt Somalia and Somaliland whitethorn resume, according to Mohamed Husein Gaas, the founding manager of the RAAD Peace Research Institute and a Research Associate astatine the Conflict Research Program astatine the London School of Economics.

He said that Irro's triumph presents an accidental to reopen stalled dialogue. During his campaign, Irro expressed a willingness to initiate discussions with the Federal Government of Somalia, perchance starring to a ceremonial statement and reunification.

Gaas besides said that Irro's predetermination means a caller anticipation for those who advocator for Somali unification and togetherness, adding that helium believes Irro has a imaginativeness for improvement and is simply a decent person with a semipermanent perspective.

Irro’s predetermination has besides been well-received successful Mogadishu, wherever many, similar Abdullahi Mohamed, a assemblage graduate, spot him arsenic a decent leader.

Abdullahi noted that the implementation of a one-man, one-vote predetermination successful Somaliland could supply a acquisition for radical successful the confederate regions, specified arsenic Mogadishu, wherever residents person ne'er voted to elite their leaders.

He saaid that the radical successful the South are pleased with Irro's predetermination arsenic president of the Northern portion of Somaliland, believing that helium is simply a unifying fig from whom they tin larn a lot.

Somaliland has agelong sought planetary designation since declaring independency successful 1991, but nary authorities has yet recognized its status. In its pursuit of recognition, Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ethiopia successful January, which involves leasing a seaport successful speech for recognition. However, the Somali authorities has labeled this statement arsenic illegal, viewing it arsenic Ethiopia's effort to make a rift wrong Somalia.