MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somaliland’s independent electoral commission announced on Tuesday that opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro emerged victorious in the presidential election held on November 13, defeating incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi.
Irro secured 63.92% of the total votes cast in the breakaway region, delivering a decisive victory over incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi, who garnered 34.81%. Another opposition candidate, Faysal Ali Warabe, received a mere 0.74%. Irro’s commanding win marks one of the largest vote margins in the region’s history, underscoring a historic mandate for the newly elected president.
Local political figures, including UCID opposition party leader Faysal Ali Warabe and Kaah party head Mohamud Hashi Abdi, swiftly extended their congratulations to Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro following his electoral triumph. They were soon joined by regional leaders, with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh offering their felicitations to the newly elected Somaliland president immediately after the results were announced.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, whose popularity has sharply declined in recent years due to his handling of the Lasanod conflict, widespread corruption, and soaring inflation and unemployment, had pledged to accept the election results if defeated. He has been commended for his bold and principled decision to allow the electoral process to unfold without interference, ensuring the election was conducted peacefully and with respect for the independence of the electoral commission.
Bihi has also fallen out of favor with the leaders of neighboring Djibouti and Somalia, primarily due to his controversial decision to lease land along the Red Sea to Ethiopia. Their prompt congratulations to Irro signal a potential shift in regional dynamics, suggesting that the new leader may seek to distance Somaliland from Ethiopia’s contentious deal, aiming to defuse the growing tensions and avert a looming crisis in the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland is poised to experience another smooth transition of power, a hallmark of its stability over the past three decades. This tradition has established Somaliland as a rare beacon of good governance in the Horn of Africa, a region long beset by conflict and characterized by leaders who often cling to power.
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