Somalia Upper House Speaker Opposes Federal Government to Appoint Somaliland Poll Committee

The Somalia Upper House Speaker has strongly opposed the Federal Government of Somalia to appoint Somaliland Poll Committee and said the government should avoid doing this.

 Abdi Hashi, the Upper House Speaker of Somalia, has denounced the decision by the National Consultative Council to authorise the Federal Government to appoint an election committee for Somaliland.

In a letter addressed to the President and Prime Minister, Hashi said allowing the Federal Government to appoint the committee will compromise the independence of the electoral process of Somaliland.

Hashi who hails from Somaliland said Somaliland should be allowed to appoint its own committee just as Federal Member States (FMS) do.  The statement said the government does not have the right to appoint a committee for Somaliland as it does not appoint committee members for the federal member states.

The NCF which comprises the Federal Government leadership and presidents of the FMS resolved in their meeting in Mogadishu last month to allow Mogadishu to appoint the committee which shall conduct elections for MPs and Senators representing Somaliland clans in the Federal Parliament.