NIEC puts off by-election in Mogadishu after chaos flared up at venue

The electoral body NIEC has called off a by-election for one of the seats of Somaliland clans after chaos erupted in the venue in Mogadishu.

National Independent Electoral Commission chairperson Halima Yarey said NIEC decided to postpone the elections to a later date following consultations. “After consultations we decided to postpone the election. We have learnt our lessons. We will announce a new date,” Yarey said.

Goobjoog News correspondent at the venue said delegates shouted down candidate Abdirahman Ahmed Aynan as he presented his pre-election manifesto forcing security forces to intervene. The other candidate Farah Sa’id Hassan is the brother of former lawmaker Sa’id Hassan Ghedi who died after illness last February.

The seat belongs to the Abar-Carfaan (Gadabuursi) clan in Somaliland.