Somalia’s Supreme Court Annuls Galmudug Election Results

Somalia’s Supreme Court on Monday annulled the results of parliamentary and local council elections in Galmudug and ordered a fresh vote, ruling that serious violations had undermined the legality and integrity of the July 30 polls. Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed said the simultaneous elections for the Galmudug House of Representatives and local councils did not comply with Somalia’s constitution and electoral law. … The decision followed complaints from political organisations that contested the July 30 vote, with some alleging irregularities, interference and restrictions on their representatives at polling stations. Election officials had acknowledged problems at some voting centres and investigated reported violations during the counting process. The commission later excluded votes from two polling stations. … President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party, or JSP, emerged as the dominant force when the electoral commission announced the results. … The Supreme Court ruling erases those results and requires political organisations that take part in the rerun to return to the electorate. (Somalia Today)