Somaliland’s speaker of house of representatives responds to the return of amended election law by the house of elders

Abditizak Khalif, the Speaker of Somaliland’s house of representatives has responded in a statement on the return of amended election law by the house of elders to the house of representatives on Monday. Khalif ruled out that his counterpart in the house of elders cannot make a unilateral decision to send back a passed bill without the assembly’s approval.

He urged the Speaker of the house of elders to present the amended election law before the assembly of the house for members to debate and make their final decision; to approve it or demand further amendments.

Abdirizak Khalif criticized his counterpart for grounding his action with divisions of the house of representatives after 46 MPs sent a complaint letter to him. He noted that the house of elders is not part of the judiciary system which is supposed to clarify disputed articles of law but is a legislative branch that enacts laws or makes amendments by voting and asked to allow the house members to engage the voting.

Meanwhile, the speaker of the house of elders said while answering a question asked by journalists that he intended that the house of elders could avoid the contention that gripped the house of representatives and expressed optimism the two houses will resolve the issue anytime soon.

The newly amended law favors the combination of presidential and political association elections. The two opposition parties immediately endorsed the approval while the top officials of the ruling party did not clarify their stand regarding the amended law.