By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – According to Law # Lr.20/2001 the appointment by Wadani party of Dr. Mohamed Osman Fadal as the opposition party’s representative at Somaliland National Elections Commission-NEC is erroneous.
This is according to a presidential decree # JSL/M/XMW/0092814/102014 in which the president of Somaliland Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo wants the Wadani Party to appoint a replacement.
The appointment of Dr Fadal as the Wadani member to NEC was announced through a letter reference #XIS/WAD/XDH/165-2014 submitted the presidency on 02/10/2014.
The appointment followed the expiry of mandate for the outgoing seven members NEC in which the two opposition parties appoint one member each and the Guurti the upper chamber of Somaliland parliament having two members while the head of state appoints the remainder of three.
Though not mentioned in the president Silanyo decree the rejection of Dr Fadal who also doubles as the Wadani party’s foreign affairs chief is related to him, Fadal, being a commissioner in the outgoing NEC.
The incoming commissioners of NEC are expected to organize and hold the now in doubt presidential and parliamentary elections slated for mid 2015.
The doubts in the tenability of the forthcoming elections pertains to the controversial persons and voters registration that has raised disputes between the ruling party Kulmiye and Government on one side and opposition political parties and individuals on the other.
