GAROWE (Halbeeg News) – Thousands of people in northeastern Somalia have come out to elect councillors for the first time since 1991 when the country plunged into anarchy following the fall of the central government led by the then late Mohamed Siyad Barre.
40,000 voters drown from three towns namely Ufayn, Eyl and Qandho will be today electing 87 councillors from 449 candidates.
Puntland’s Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) says the polls will be open from 6 am to 6 pm and are accessible to disabled voters.
It added that measures had been taken place to ensure the venue was secure. Voters must present their registration card for entry into the polling station; it warns that security will immediately arrest anyone found in violation of the rules.
Puntland Electoral Commission Chairman Guled Salah Barre said that the ballots would be counted in each respective district, emphasizing that they would not be transported.
“The votes of each district will be counted at their polling stations to make the work easier and transparent. Our staff will work around the clock to meet the deadline,” Barre said.
According to the chairperson, the results will be available by Tuesday.
According to Puntland authorities, the process will spread across Puntland state.
Somalia is expected to start its Lower House elections as the country is about to conclude its upper house elections.
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