Somaliland: Flag-waving Residents Receive Badhan Governor Rapturously

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The newly-appointed Governor of Badhan, East of Sanaag region of the Republic of Somaliland was, Thursday, rapturously received at Badhan city.

Masses of people met Governor Mohamoud Hamud Omar and his entourage way outside the city to show how much they supported his appointment.

“Your reception is a show of force contradicting all fabricated reports on Badhan changing allegiance. This city and the region it governs is part and parcel of Somaliland,” the Governor, addressing constituents at the public square, said.

“Rumours had gone out saying the Somaliland flag has been pulled down. There it is (pointing at a high-fluttering RoS flag). The flag is proudly waving above al government institutions,” he said.

Waving the Somaliland flag and holding up supportive banners sporting Somaliland colours, people emphatically sent an unmistakable message to detractors.

It was only a week ago that the Puntland presidency was boasting about full control over Badhan.

Abdirahman Dinari, Puntland Presidency Spokesman, arrived in the area to, ostensibly, welcome high-ranking military and naval officers defecting from Somaliland to the ranks of the Federal Somalia state.

Video clips showed a man replacing a Somaliland flag with that of the regional state up a flag-pole somewhere in the Badhan city.

In the same video clip, the said officers and Mr Dinari stated that nothing even implying loyalty Somaliland would ever be seen again in the area.

The clips followed closely behind an incident where a former governor of Somaliland who had crossed over to Puntland, earlier, waylaid the new Governor, opening fire on the latter’s vehicles. Luckily nobody was hurt, and the cars were quickly repaired in Hadaftimo before the Governor continued his voyage to the provincial capital, Badhan.

The open appearance and open participation of the Puntland presidency in an incident like that ridiculed feeble peace-offers of President Deni of Puntland, taking its dispute over Somaliland regions onto a sinister, more unpredictable levels.

Governor Omar showed, today, that Badhan, in fact, believed more in the Republic of Somaliland than Garowe.

 

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