Somaliland President's Term Extended as Result of Parliamentary Vote
09:16 GMT 02.10.2022 (Updated: 14:09 GMT 14.02.2023)
© AP Photo / Malak HarbIn this Tuesday, April, 3, 2018 photo, Muse Bihi Abdi, the President of Somaliland speaks to The Associated Press in Hergeisa, Somaliland, Somalia. The breakaway northern region of Somaliland declared its independence nearly three decades ago, but despite having its own currency, parliament and military the predominantly Muslim country hasn’t been recognized by any foreign government. Abdi is hoping to change that by aligning his country’s interests with energy-rich Gulf Arab states eager to expand their military footprint in the Horn of Africa. (AP Photo/Malak Harb)
© AP Photo / Malak Harb
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The self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland, in the northern part of the Horn of Africa on what used to be the colony of British Somalia, announced its independence from Somalia in 1991. Somaliland now has a multi-party system and its presidents are elected for five-year terms and can serve for a maximum of two terms in a row.
On Saturday, the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland voted to extend President Muse Bihi Abdi’s term by two years, according to Somaliland senate’s chairman Saleeban Mahmoud Aden.
The senate’s chairman said that the votes were 72-1 in favor of extending the term.
Abdi took office in 2017, his first term out of two possible was scheduled to end this November.
On 24 September Somaliland's presidential elections were officially postponed until 2023 “because of lack of time, technical and financial constraints," the Somaliland National Electoral Commission (SLNEC) tweeted.
Somaliland National Electrol Commission scheduled to conduct the Presidential Election in 9 months, starting 1st October 2022, as the current scheduled date of 13 Nov, 2022 is not viable due to time, technical and financial constrains.
— Somaliland National Electoral Commission (SLNEC) (@SLNECHQ) September 24, 2022
NEC Spokesperson
Abdiaziz Hersi Warsame pic.twitter.com/eKfcTTGD3D
Earlier, opposition parties expressed their concerns that the president was going to seek a term extension by creating circumstances that would give him opportunity to do so. These concerns resulted in protests in August.
In the middle of August, hundreds of demonstrators, led by the president's opposition filled the streets of Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa and the cities of Burao and Erigavo.
The protesters were chanting anti-government slogans and waving placards saying “Hold the election on 13 November 2022”.
Somaliland, a region of almost 4 million people, located in northern Somalia, declared itself an independent state in 1991. Though not officially recognized by any country or international organization, Somaliland has a government, currency, army and electoral system.