The Somaliland Election Monitoring Office (SEMO) welcomes and commends the National
Election Commission (NEC) for its diligent efforts in preparing for the upcoming elections.
Despite the challenging political climate and the unprecedented nature of this year’s
combined presidential and political association elections, the NEC has shown its
commitment to ensuring the elections happen on time.
This year’s election is significant as it marks Somaliland’s first combined presidential and
political association elections. The prolonged election dispute has heightened the stakes,
and the country is experiencing a deeply divided voter base. Additionally, political leaders
were already engaging in baseless accusations and disinformation campaigns before the
official election campaign to undermine their opponents, worsening tensions among the
electorate.
The regional geopolitical climate adds another layer of complexity to this election. With
numerous regional actors having conflicting interests within Somaliland, there is heightened
concern over foreign influence on the electoral process.
The traditional elders have played a crucial role in resolving the prolonged election dispute.
We believe that they, along with the former presidents, vice presidents, and other notable
leaders, can play a vital role in helping the NEC to discourage the political parties from using
inflammatory language and prevent pre-election and post-election violence.
Furthermore, this year will be the first election in Somaliland in which a political party’s
chairperson will also serve as the Minister of Interior. Given the Ministry’s crucial role in
elections, especially in ensuring security and managing regional officials, this issue raises
significant concerns about the smooth electoral process.
Recommendations
- Due to Somaliland’s prolonged election dispute, election delay, and commission
disputes, there has been a growing distrust among election stakeholders. However,
we note that the current National Election Commission has successfully gained their
trust. To maintain and further strengthen this trust, we urge the NEC to prioritize
greater transparency, inclusiveness, and openness in its operations. - This year, social media disinformation is alarmingly high. Active foreign and regional
actors with various agendas regarding the Somaliland elections have a significant
presence on social media. Therefore, we call on the NEC to pay close attention to
social media activities and find a balance between upholding freedom of speech and
countering disinformation effectively. - The Somaliland Election Monitoring Office calls upon the government, the ruling
party, the opposition parties, and the new political associations to refrain from using
baseless political accusations and disinformation. Instead, we urge them to share
with their audiences why they are better than others and their political agendas. This
approach will contribute to the country’s unity, a more informed electorate, and a
healthier democratic process.
