Former President of the South West State of Somalia, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, has warned of fraud in the elections held in the South West region, calling on the electoral commission and the government to handle the results fairly and transparently.
The results of the elections held last Sunday were supposed to be announced within 24 hours, but so far there has been no official statement from the electoral commission, which has increased political concerns and questions about the vote counting process.
Speaking to his supporters in the city of Baidoa, Sharif Hassan said that the people of the South West have put a lot of effort into registering and participating in the elections, and it is important that their votes are protected.
“We want the people’s votes not to be manipulated. If the people’s votes are changed or corrupted, we will not accept it,” said Sharif Hassan.
He said that people stood in long lines to register and vote, which he described as a historic step that shows the people’s desire for free and fair elections.
“The people have put in a lot of effort, they have taken the ballots, and they have shown that they want a leadership of their own choosing. Elections are the only way to achieve development and trustworthy leadership,” he said.
Sharif Hassan also said that despite reports that the results are known, the people are only waiting for the official announcement by the electoral commission.
“The people know how the votes were distributed, but we want the commission to officially and transparently announce the results,” he added.
He thanked the people of Southwest, the security forces, the youth and the election workers for their role in ensuring security and conducting the vote.