Political associations in Puntland claim widespread electoral malpractices in recent polls

GOOBJOOG NEWS|PUNTLAND: just concluded distric Council elections were marred with electoral malpractices and use of state resources, four political associations in Puntland have claimed.
Justice and Equality, Mustaqbal, Ifiye and Horseed association which have banded under the Polical Parties Forum (PPF) said in a statement Sunday the elections in Ufeyn, Qardho and Eyl districts failed the ‘democracy test’.
They claimed use of public funds, deployment of civil servants and security forces but did not mention names. The PPF also alleged that underage residents were allowed to vote while people were imported from outside the three districts to vote.
Bribery and vote buying was also recorded, the three associations said while accusing the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) on condoning corruption and announcing the results without meeting with representatives from the political associations.

PPF has also called on Local Election Observers to issue an independent report on the violations with the international community and election stakeholders urged to intervene in the matter.