BURCO, North Western State of Somalia (AXADLE) – As twilight descended on Burco, a sense of anticipation swelled through the streets. Fadumo Ali, an iconic figure among Burco’s women, boldly proclaimed, “Muse Bihi, your time here is up. Tomorrow brings change!” Her fervor was matched only by the enthusiasm of young voters, some already lining up past midnight on Tuesday, eagerly awaiting the dawn of Wednesday’s polls.
Journalists, both seasoned and budding, buzzed around these early risers, capturing the palpable energy and diverse speeches before sunrise.
“This is a moment for transformation. If destiny favors us, tomorrow will be monumental. I’m here for the long haul,” shared a resolute Abdirahman Muse, an ambitious university student with an unyielding will.
Burco and Borame are undeniably central to the electoral pulse of North Western State of Somalia, becoming battlegrounds for the prevailing powers, the Waddani Party and the Kulmiye Party, each directing significant campaign resources towards these cities.
Underlying tensions have prompted influential community leaders and political stalwarts to openly rally behind opposition forces, stirring deep-rooted clan rivalries which are quintessential to the political landscape of North Western State of Somalia.
As the North Western State of Somalia Independent Electoral Commission has detailed, ballot casting will commence at 7:00 a.m. and wrap up by 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
The nation’s skies will observe a strict curfew. Only those with clearance, like emergency services or electoral monitors, will navigate between towns.
Both local and international watchful eyes, in the guise of observers, will scrutinize the proceedings, ensuring the polls reflect transparency and equity.
A MOMENTOUS ELECTION
This election represents a seminal point for North Western State of Somalia, closing the chapter on President Muse Bihi’s seven-year leadership under the Kulmiye banner, as the nation stands at the precipice, picking a path from a three-part trail of major political parties and seven aspirant organizations seeking a decade-long official recognition.
The atmosphere is charged with discourse on major concerns like inflation, joblessness among youth, developmental standstills, pervasive graft, and the looming worry of national destabilization, themes the opposition brandished to magnetize supporters and underscore the dire need for novel leadership.
On the flip side, President Muse Bihi positioned himself as the custodian of continuation, touting his tenure as essential to North Western State of Somalia’s tireless chase for global acknowledgment.
In regions like Lasanod, now claimed by the SSC-Khaatumo state, a place of churning conflict, and in Awdal where unrest festers, these situations buoy the main opposition party, Waddani, in their electoral quest.
This year, voting will only occur in 17 out of the original 27 districts, the electoral body relayed, with certain areas, once North Western State of Somalia territories, now foreclosed to election activity.
Opposition MP Mohamed Abiib from Awdal seized a poignant moment in a Hargeisa press conference, calling his fellow Awdal constituents to rally and reject Muse Bihi, stating, “Borame, your stake tomorrow is paramount. Seven awful years demand your voice for change.”
The ruling Kulmiye Party meanwhile leverages President Muse Bihi’s memorandum with Ethiopia granting Red Sea access as a potential key to earning international recognition for North Western State of Somalia, while fanning tensions with a Somali federal government yet to relinquish its territorial claim over the self-proclaimed independent North Western State of Somalia since 1991.
Muse Bihi’s closing arguments, recorded and fervent, urged supporters to reaffirm his leadership and elevate the Hilaac organization, improring, “Tomorrow isn’t merely an election but a decisive test of our nationhood. It’s reached a volatile juncture.”
Abdirahman Abdullahi Irro, Waddani’s hopeful, inspired the electorate with a call to arms in decision-making, believing in the potency of their collective vote to dismantle a “seven-year despotism,” as shared in a broadcast message.
The epochal Wednesday vote crowns three weeks of spirited and high-octane campaigning vividly painted with rhetoric and recriminations between the sitting party and its challengers.
A throng exceeding 1.2 million voters is anticipated in this event, expected to unfurl with civility and peace.
Given the manual vote tallying process, the electoral commission predicts the official results will materialize roughly a week post-election.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
