By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somaliland sun) – Systems precluding forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections slated for 2017 in Somaliland are all go
This was revealed by the National Election Commission-NEC during a briefing to parliament’s standing committee in Hargeisa where they also disclosed that related civic education is currently ongoing nationwide.
The seven member election body was represented by five of their own at the legislators briefing undertaken by their chairman Eng Abdiqadir Iiman Warsame and spokesperson Saeed Ali Muse
As he informed that voter registration shall commence soon after ongoing voter education is concluded also revealed that all the necessary equipment has been procured and in custody of the commission.
“Thanks to the European Union 350 voter registration kits arriving on a chartered plane last week and in addition to an earlier consignment of 30 kits for training and testing purposes we have sufficient tools” said Eng Abdiqadir
According to Somalilandsun sources each kit is in a black transporter box and it includes a laptop with a lot of tailor-made software, a camera/Iris scanner and a printer.
Stating that a few mishaps delayed the voter registration supposedly to be almost complete by now the NEC boss said that the now in place tools that were responsible shall be utilized soon as possible nationwide and “If need be house to house” to ensure that every qualified citizen is given the opportunity to participate in polls.
According to the spokesperson Saeed Ali Muse lessons learnt from the trial registration coupled with the up to standards biometric tools availed NEC shall establish apt voters register.
The NEC mouthpiece was refereeing to The Biometric Voter Registration field test project that was undertaken started in five different locations of urban and rural areas from 1st -15th September 2015 with the operation starting with a quick Survey and installation of network equipment and software functionality.
Queried by legislators as per the plans to hold elections nationwide owing to recent events that saw some of its officials abducted in Badhan district in Sanaag region the NEC commissioners responded by stating that the commissioners were mandated with organizing and holding elections while security was preserve the government.
These assurances by the National Election Commission as pertains smooth running preparations for the 2017 elections and supply of 350 election kits by the European Union negate circulating rumours purporting that the electoral body is encumbered by financés after its international partners and Somaliland democratization partners refuse or are yet to release share of the promised election budget.
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