Residents mainly from the south and east of the divided town marched through main streets demanding the removal of the current governor of Togdher region. They chanted anti-government messages and waved boards.
Offices and shops were shut in the town, and transport came to a complete stand still for several hours.
Burao is the administrative capital of Togdheer region and currently one of many political pressure points that erupted following the recent dispute local elections.
The Habar Yonis residents insist that governor Abdo Ahmed Ayar stands down in accordance to Somaliland’s local government tribal power sharing system. The government recently removed the former governor of Sahil to make way for a new governor belonging to different sub-clan to the mayor of Berbera, the provincial capital. Now the locals accuse the Ahmed Silanyo government of hypocrisy and tribal favoritism since in Burao both the mayor and governor belong to his Habar Jelo sub-clan.
Mohamed Mohamud Yusuf ‘Ubahle’, the deputy governor, said the strike was unjustified, and criticized the organizers for exploiting legitimate social grievances. He called for calm and no violence has been reported.
The town is bracing for more fresh protests and there are fears the two sides could violently clash.
Somalilandpress
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