Somaliland gears up for legislative poll

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

HARGEYSA- - Voters in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, go to polls today to elect 82 Members of Parliament.

The legislative election pits the ruling party, the Union of Democrats, against the opposition Kulmiye (Solidarity) party and the Welfare and Justice party. An estimated 800,000 out of Somaliland's estimated 3.5 million population are eligible to vote.

The polls are the breakaway republic's third since it declared its unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in May 1991, following the collapse of the administration of former President Siyad Barre.