By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Plans are afoot to undertake the training of election supervisors.
A meeting between the national election commission-NEC and the seven political parties contesting forthcoming local council elections agreed on the imperative need for skilled election supervisors representing both NEC and parties on the elections to be held on 28 November 2012.
According to a statement released by the election body the next step is to organize the training after the decision received unanimous approval from participants at the meeting held at NEC hqs in Hargeisa where senior officials among them chairpersons and general secretaries represented the parties while all its seven commissioners represented NEC.
NEC chairperson Eng. Ali Yusuf Hamari told the meeting that it is impossible to hold free and fair elections if supervisors representing contesting parties are not skilled thus aware of their exact functions and authority vis-a-vis the election body.
The NEC Boss revealed that the election supervisors training which has received funding from the local office of the US based International Republican Institute-IRI that will also support implementation.
According to the Chairman of the political parties Registration and verification committee-PPR&VC Mr. Abdirazak Iyale, the training will help ensure that political party officials are well versed with various election laws thus deter misunderstandings that normally result from a lack of this knowledge.
The seven entities contesting the local council elections are Kulmiye (Ruling party), UCID (Main opposition party) and the five newly registered political groups of Wadani, Haqsoor, Dalsan, UMADDA and Rays
