HARGEISA, Somalia Dec 10 2012 (Garowe Online) – Somaliland Haqsoor political party leader alleges that there is “video evidence” of corruption in Somaliland’s district elections, which international observers said occurred “transparently”, Garowe Online reports

Hassan Isse, Chairman of Haqsoor political party talking to BBC Somali service on Monday, said that he was unhappy with the Somaliland National Electoral Commission’s (NEC) decision to recount votes in Hargeisa district elections only.

“Our issues with the district elections are not limited to Hargeisa but across the Somaliland districts, we have requested before and are requesting now that any wrongs and mistakes are corrected,” said party chairman Isse.

The chairman went on to add that the election commission’s decision to recount votes in Hargeisa was “not enough for my party and for the people of Somaliland”.

On Monday morning speaking at Human Rights day event in Hargeisa, Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo - who shied away from speaking on the disputed district election results - described the elections as peaceful.

“The district elections that occurred in Somaliland transpired peacefully, however the results that were released caused deaths and injuries,” said President Silanyo, adding “the electoral commission the people of Somaliland are waiting for you, the responsibility of the elections rests on your shoulders, and people are awaiting a response which appeases them.”

Somaliland’s NEC Chairman Isse Yusuf Mohamed issued a press release Monday afternoon stating that the district elections occurred “transparently according to Somaliland’s electoral law” and that “international observers were monitoring the process.”

The Somaliland district elections which began on November 28 did involve international observers who after the elections stated that the process occurred transparently.    

Abdihakim Ali Mohamed a student in Hargeisa who spoke to GO said that he felt that the electoral commission gave an answer that satisfied government officials not the people of Somaliland.

“I believe that the electoral commission did not ensure that the elections occurred transparently, nor did they show any effort when requested to. The answer from the commission on Monday did not satisfy the distraught citizens of Hargeisa,” said Mr. Mohamed who spoke to GO via telephone.      

Haqsoor Chairman Mr. Isse stated in the BBC Somali interview that there is “video evidence and eyewitness reports of ballot box rigging and fraud,” continuing “some districts were not even delivered ballot boxes.”  

There were protests for two days in Hargeisa after preliminary results were released from Hargeisa’s district elections. Police sent to disperse the demonstrators in south Hargeisa, clashed with the protestors resulting in 3 deaths and 7 injuries.

After the deadly protests The National Electoral Commission stated on Saturday that they would review some of the ballot boxes in Hargeisa district elections.