NEC members to remain 7, President Bihi declares

Hargeisa, Aug 27 (Somaliland.com) – The president of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, yesterday met leaders of the two opposition parties and discussed with them the implementation of the political parties’ agreement as regards the composition of the National Electoral Commission members.

A press statement released by the presidential spokesperson, Mohamoud Warsame Jama, stated that Faisal Ali Warabe, the chairperson of UCID, and Hersi Haji Ali Hassan, the leader of Waddani, had a meeting at the presidential palace in Hargeisa.

‘The opposition parties expressed negative feelings on the method in which the House of Representatives shelved the motion to increase the membership number of the National Electoral Commission,’ the press statement reads in part.

‘Although we expected the House of Representatives to debate the motion tabled by the three political parties, the president suggested that there should be no further waste of time over a legal debate. He requested that the two (opposition) parties become part of the electoral process as the three parties have already agreed,’ the statement added.

The president encouraged the leaders of the two opposition parties to give top priority to making the election a reality. The spokesperson’s statement again reads that

The president pledged that he will implement article 4 of the agreement concluded among the three political parties on 27th July 2019. The article states that two additional members of the National Electoral Commission can be submitted to the next House of Representatives after the election is held.

Mentioned also in the statement was that the president had on 25 August 2019 asked the political parties and the Guurti (the House of Elders) to nominate their respective members of the National Electoral Commission.
 
According to the statement, the new composition will remain seven members. However, Waddani prefers that the members of the Commission be increased to nine.

Sources: Presidential Statement, SomalilandDaily……