Somalilandsun: The oft postponed parliamentary and local council’s elections shall now be held any time before end of 2020.
This follows a successful reconciliation meeting held between the three national political parties of ruling Kulmiye and opposition UCID and Wadani at the Somaliland presidency in Hargeisa
While senior functionaries from the three national political parties were present in full force for the historic meeting signature to the agreement were appended by party leaders namely President Muse Bihi for Kulmiye, Eng. Feisal Ali Warabe for UCID and Wadani’s Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi ‘Irro’ respectively.
To bring the elections impasse to an end the trio agreed that
- Parliamentary and local council’s elections be held within 2020
- The disputed commissioners of the National Elections Commission stay in place and fulfill its constitutional mandate.
- The opposing parties of UCID and Wadani immediately members to the commission following resignation of the same.
- The immediate past NEC commissioners act as technical committee dubbed Technical Elections Management Unit-TEMU members some with voting powers thence utilize their experience thence facilitate elections in 2020.
- Three representing the International community to be part of TEMU as non-voting members
- Head and deputy chiefs of TEMU to be selected from voting member
This success in agreeing on the continued in office for the disputed NEC that came to office late last year clears the air as possibility of the country going to polls especially as pertains parliamentary elections that were last held in 2005.
This will also come with a huge sigh of relief to citizens and more so to the administration that has been under siege by members of the international community with a stake in the Somaliland democratization process.
The campaign for elections in 2020 by IC partners whose representatives have in the recent past been frequent visitors to the capital Hargeisa can be summed-up in the remarks made to the UNSC on 24th this month by the UN secretary General Special representative to Somalia James Swan while updating the council on Somalia
Quote- Elections must be held too in “Somaliland” where parliamentary elections were last held in 2005, and I urge the authorities and all political actors to find a way through the current impasse for both parliamentary and local elections to take place in “Somaliland” before the end of 2020-Unquote
Now that the elections dispute is over let’s hope Somaliland will go to polls before close of 2020
Keep watch here www.somalilandsun.com for full agreement translation of original Somali language
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