Hiiraan Online
Sunday, August 21, 2016
HARGEISA (HOL) – The breakaway northern Somalia republic of Somaliland has affirmed it would hold the upcoming presidential election ‘in accordance with the planned schedule’ amid concerns by opposition parties that the presidential is seeking a new term extension and postpone the election.
The government had earlier announced it would hold the presidential election on March 17 next year, rescheduling the timetable from its initial date of July 2016.
Opposition parties have earlier accused the incumbent president Ahmed Silanyo of seeking a new ‘unconstitutional’ term extension, echoing previous warnings by EU, UK and the US who cautioned against a political instability in the region often referred as oasis of peace in a volatile region as result of election delays.
“The timetable for the election remains unchanged and it will be held in accordance with the planned timetable.” said Saeed Ali Muse, the chairman of Somaliland’s electoral commission at a press conference in the capital Hargeisa Saturday.
“There’s nothing about term extension for the president and whatsoever, such reports are baseless.” He said.
Last year, opposition parties have subsequently boycotted the presidential election after a controversial term extension for the president with endorsements by the two houses of the parliament.
Opposition parties have since called for the dissolution of the two upper houses as the result of the endorsement for the president’s term extension, accusing their members of failing to perform their duties as planned.
Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia has declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991; however, no country has so far recognized it as an independent state.