Waddani Party cancels Hargeisa rally, meets independent mediation committee

Hargeisa (Somaliland.com) – Somaliland opposition party Waddani cancels a rally at its headquarters scheduled for today.

The secretary of public mobilization, Abdillahi Geeljire announced the decision on Tuesday in a press confess at the party headquarters.

Somaliland’s main opposition party canceled its rally in Hargeisa at the last minute. This was because of round-the-clock initiatives to defuse the political situation spearheaded by different entities.

Abdillahi Geeljire, the secretary of public mobilization said envoys from Somaliland civil society, religious leaders and former vice presidents appealed to them to cancel the rally in the capital.

We have stopped and deferred the call for our supporters in Marodijeh to gather at the headquarters of the party. Therefore our supporters will not come here today, but other rallies in the regions will proceed as they were called for.

Abdillahi Geeljire

The envoys including former vice presidents and UCID party officials met with the leaders of Waddani party today to de-escalate the situation. In candid conversations, Waddani party presented their grievances against the government’s attempts to block their constitutionally permitted rallies. They stressed their demands for the immediate release of their leaders such as the secretary-general and the spokesperson.

The envoys promised to take the demands of the opposition party to the government. They are set to meet the interior minister, Mohamed Kahin Ahmed whom some of the envoys met earlier separately.

Meanwhile, the opposition party held demonstrations at the party office in Burao, the administrative capital of Togdheer region. Hundreds of supporters took to the streets and met at the party office. The police did not attempt to block them.

Abdillahi Geeljire on the hand announced that the government is trying to withdraw the security detail of Waddani party’s chairman. He called the move unnecessary escalation of the crisis and urged the government to refrain from such provocation.

Another thing that was going on since last night is that the government has taken away some of the security detail of the Waddani chairman, they want to withdraw others and arrest others. We believe this is another escalation. The chairman has a right to have his safety secured by the national army.

Abdillahi Geeljire

The chairman of Waddani party Abdirahman Irro called for the rally at his party headquarters on Sunday following a political deadlock over the electoral commission. Yesterday, the government blocked the party from holding a popular rally at its headquarters. However, the chairman Abdirahman Irro marched to his office and made a short speech to his supporters calling for the continuation of rallies.