Somaliland Opposition parties say Kulmiye administration illegitimate, call for elections

Somaliland opposition parties have called for Presidential elections following the end of the official term in office of president Muse Bihi, although he got extension by two years from the house of elders. 

The main opposition parties in Hargeisa are expected to announce a momentous decision in the coming hours.

In an earlier statement, the Waddani and UCID parties stated they will not consider Bihi as the legitimate president after 13 November, making him the first incumbent President in Somaliland’s history to lose the confidence of opposition parties and their supporters if the opposition takes the decision.

The opposition party told supporters to be on alert towards any decisions the party officials would announce in the next hours.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties delayed their long awaited press conference after a voluntary mediation committee led by Ali Waran Cadde, a senior advisor to the President. 

Mohamed Nuur Araale Duur, the former interior minister and the Mayor of Hargeisa made intervention early in the morning.

Additional reports say, the opposition parties have given a chance to the voluntary mediation committee until this evening and if there is no result, they will go ahead to declare their major decision before midnight.

President Bihi insisted that no other ballot can precede the political parties’ election while the opposition declined and determined the Presidential election to come before the other election.

The two opposition parties repeatedly claimed not to recognise Bihi as “the legitimate ” President after 13 November which the officials term in office of President Bihi will finish if he does not accept the Presidential election to come before the political parties’ election.

Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland had last month announced postponement of it’s scheduled presidential election to next year, rather than holding it in November when the incumbent president’s term ends, the region’s electoral body announced. 

In August deadly protests broke out in the region with demonstrators demanding elections be held in November amid suspicions President Muse Bihi Abdi wanted to delay the poll and extend his term.