By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The African Union-AU is confident that the locally brewed Somaliland conflict resolution mechanism shall prevail in solving prevalent election dispute in the country.
This was stated by the head of the African Commission on Human Rights and Peoples Rights- ACHPR Mr. Bahame Tom Mukirya Nyanduga in Hargeisa where he is leading a three member team after meeting with opposition Wadani party leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi ‘Irro’
At the meeting with the visiting ACHPR delegation Abdirahman ‘Irro’ who also doubles as speaker of the Somaliland parliament was accompanied by his party’s’ information secretary Boobe Abdirahman Yusuf Duale and executive committee member Dr Mohamed Osman Fadal
Discussions between the two teams dwelt on issues pertinent to the election dates dispute and ongoing all parties talks on the same in which Mr. Nyanduga said his commission was not only supportive but has confidence shall be concluded successfully.
Other issues discussed included the plight of the Gaboye community which is dubbed minority clan thus suffering a measure of marginalization.
On gender mainstreaming in the country in which a government bill with intent to establish a quota of 20% for women representation in both houses of parliament was invalidated by legislators Irro is reported to have informed the AU team that his Wadani party has allocated 30% of the same.
The political status in the East of the country and ongoing government fronted reconciliation talks with formerly warring clansmen as well as matters related to the recent planned but quashed by state, demonstration by Wadani party members in protest against the Guurti decision to extend the tenure of the president and parliament to April 2017 were also touched on.
The visiting ACHPR is also expected to meet with the other political parties of Kulmiye and UCID as well as the Guurti and president during their yet unspecified length of stay in the country.
About ACHPR
The African Charter established the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The Commission was inaugurated on 2 November 1987 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Commission’s Secretariat has subsequently been located in Banjul, The Gambia where In addition to performing any other tasks which may be entrusted to it by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, it is charged with three main functions of
o protection of human and peoples’ rights
o promotion of human and peoples’ rights and
o the interpretation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
more on the ACHPR
