Fresh Violent Rallies Started two main villages in Hargeisa after Election Commission published the final results of Moroodijeex region

SEVERAL hundreds of youth massed in Ida’ada neighborhood of Hargeisa on Sunday to protest against changes to the disputed Municipal Council election results.

The National Election Commission (NEC) on Friday published the final results for Hargeisa district elections after a recount following the rejection of earlier publications. The recount of Hargeisa’s main municipalities threw up some interesting results but directly affected four Councillors and two political associations. The new data showed a reduction of almost 7 percent to the 6th December 230,000 voters.

Two Councillors previously elected according to the NEC’s preliminary results failed to retained their seats after the recount and this reverse has sparked the latest protest.

The two previously declared winners, Fuad S. Abi and Khadar H. Ali, were elected from the Ida’ada municipality. They immediate replacement by the NEC has angered the residents and backers from the northeast neighborhood.

The youth who demonstrated burnt tires and blockaded several roads with stones before they were dispersed by security forces.

Political tensions have surged in Somaliland following the recent district and council elections that many rejected as fraud.

At least ten people have been killed by security forces since the Nov. 28th vote. The results for Marodi Jeh region, Sanaag and Sool are yet to be made public due to massive disputes. The most serious case is said to be that one surrounding Erigavo Municipal Council, the provincial capital of Sanaag. The NEC office has been shelled with live ammunition several times by armed men and are refusing to the let the commission transport the results back to Hargeisa.

A record number of 2,368 candidates are contesting the polls.

Unlike last week’s demonstration that left more than three dead, no serious violence has been reported in the latest protest in the capital thus far.