With Somaliland’s election days away, incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi has urged the public to support his Kulmiye party, positioning it as the only political force capable of achieving international recognition and securing Somaliland’s future stability.
“We have built strong alliances,” Bihi said at a during a recent televised address, framing the election as Somaliland’s defining moment on the world stage. “Our goal is not personal gain but securing Somaliland’s rightful place in the international community.”
Bihi, who has led Somaliland’s pursuit of global legitimacy since his election in December 2017, stressed that his administration’s diplomatic efforts have laid the groundwork for international partnerships. He touted ties established with Kenya and Guinea, which he describes as “foundational steps” in carving out Somaliland’s independent profile despite vehement challenges from Somalia. In December 2020, Kenya hosted Bihi in Nairobi, a diplomatic gesture that led Somalia to sever ties with Kenya, viewing the engagement as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.
However, Bihi’s appeal comes amid new and more perilous regional tensions following a January agreement with Ethiopia, which granted Ethiopia access to the Red Sea through Somaliland’s Berbera port in exchange for recognizing Somaliland’s sovereignty.
While the agreement marked an important step toward Bihi’s long standing goal of gaining international legitimacy for Somaliland, it has also sparked backlash from Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its sovereign territory. In protest, Somalia expelled an Ethiopian diplomat, escalating an already tense relationship. Bihi argued that the agreement is a milestone for Somaliland’s push for recognition.
Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) has set the stage for the vote, implementing biometric checks like iris recognition to ensure election integrity among its 1.3 million registered voters. Campaigns have been active since October 19, with candidates addressing key issues of security, economic growth, and sovereignty.
In a campaign marked by major defections, the Kulmiye party faces robust opposition from the Waddani party, led by Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi, better known as Irro, who poses a formidable challenge to Waddani’s majority in Somaliland’s lower parliament. Also in contention is UCID, led by veteran Faysal Ali Warabe, who has run in every presidential race since 2003.
All the leaders framed the election as a defining moment for the self-declared state, which has remained unrecognized by Somalia’s central government.
The campaign is now in its final days, with the election outcome expected to shape Somaliland’s path forward, impacting its push for recognition, economic development, and regional stability.
