Abdirashid Riyo-Raac appointed as chairman of the new electoral commission

Hargeisa (Somaliland.com) – The members of the new elections commission elected Abdirashid Riyo-Raac as chairman.

In their first meeting, the newly approved electoral commission chose their most controversial member as chairman who has been strongly opposed by Waddani and UCID parties.

The opposition parties Waddani and UCID have both opposed the nomination and approval of Riyoraac to the electoral commission. The opposition accuses him of being a member of the ruling party, Kulmiye. Somaliland’s electoral law forbids party members from serving the independent body that oversees elections.

Both opposition parties have declared that they will boycott the new electoral commission on account of Mr. Riyoraac’s membership.

The election of this controversial member for the leadership of Electoral will deepen the political crisis and further entrench the electoral stalemate. In the same meeting, the commission elected Mustafe Daahir Dhawal as deputy chairman.

The first rejection of the new chairman came from within the elections’ commission. Hassan Yusuf Du’aale, the member nominated by the UCID party said the election of chairman and deputy chairman was not on the agenda of the meeting. Mr.Du’ale said the mediation committee that has volunteered to resolve the political crisis had asked them to postpone the election of its chairman. He further raised concerns over the ability to oversee elections when the concerned parties have no confidence in the new commission.