HARGEISA (KAAB TV) – The Somaliland National Electoral Commission (SLNEC) has fined two political parties, Kulmiye and Waddani, for starting their election campaigns before the official date.
Both parties were fined 10 million Somaliland shillings (approximately USD 1,025) each for breaching the election campaign regulations.
Musa Hassan Yusuf, Chairman of SLNEC, announced that the two parties had unlawfully begun their campaigns ahead of the set date, which is October 19, 2024.
“We have fined both Waddani and Kulmiye 10 million Somaliland shillings each. If they continue to violate the election campaign code of conduct, we will suspend their campaigns during their designated dates,” Yusuf stated during a press briefing in Hargeisa on Tuesday.
The electoral commission also issued a stern warning to the three main parties—Kulmiye, Waddani, and UCID—against commencing their campaigns before the assigned dates.
SLNEC urged all parties to adhere to the campaign schedule released last week, which outlines specific dates for each party and political organization.
SLNEC emphasized that all parties must follow the code of conduct they signed last month.
Somaliland, still awaiting international recognition, is scheduled to hold presidential and political party elections on November 13, following delays from the originally planned 2022 election.
The upcoming election has sparked significant public interest, with three major parties vying for the presidency: the ruling Kulmiye party, led by incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi; the opposition Waddani party, with Abdirahman Cirro as its candidate; and UCID, represented by Feysal Ali Waraabe.
In addition to the presidential race, seven political organizations are competing for full party status.
Only three out of the ten contesting entities will be granted legal recognition for the next decade based on the election results.