Wednesday September 1, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Electoral delegates for Somaliland will be selected by deputy prime minister and senate speaker Abdi Hashi, Prime minister Mohamed Roble has said in what is seen as a climbdown following uproar over a decision by the National Consultative Council last week to leave out the two leaders out of the process.
“The list of Somaliland's parliament candidates will be selected by the deputy prime minister and the speaker of the upper house and I will verify as they are equal to me,” Roble said in a speech on elections.
The PM’s new position on the matter is likely to put to rest long-running debates over the fate of the Somaliland question.
The NCC which is a forum that brings together the PM and Federal Member State leaders last week decreed that the State indirect Elections Team (SIET) and clan elders will select the delegates and the final list will be approved by the Prime Minister.
This sparked sharp criticism from Hashi’s faction who accused the PM of attempts to usurp the process. Both Guled and Hashi have been at loggerheads on the composition of Somaliland SIET and the selection of delegates.
The PM also called for adherence to the 30% women quota noting the milestone was not negotiable. “We have promised to start the second phase of the elections as soon as possible and to ensure that the elections are free and fair," the PM said.
Roble spoke following a meeting with members of the dispute resolution mechanism at federal and state level.