Somaliland: The Due Date of the parliamentary and local governments Election Postponed-NEC

By Goth Mohamed Goth

The House of Representatives and Local government’s election, which is due to be held on 29th March 2019. Has now been officially postponed this was announced by the Somaliland National Electoral Commission (NEC) the body tasked with holding the elections in a press conference held the commissions headquarters.

The SomalilaElectoralnd National  Commission (NEC) officials speaking to reporters stated the reasons for postponing the parliamentary and local governments elections .

The National Electoral Commission forwarded the draft of the review the proposed Electoral Law, after referring with the stakeholders in the electoral process. These laws have not yet approved until the House of Representatives today.

1. The longstanding contentions on the issue of allocation of the House of Representatives seats, the quota for women and minority groups, and the irregularities of the electoral laws such as the numbers of the regional seats allocations and elections constitutes demarcations.
2. Lack of cross-party cooperation, especially on the part WADDANI political party, which earlier this year (March 2018) declared that it had stopped all working relations with the National Electoral Commission and still maintains the status quo to present time. Lack of cross-party understanding regarding the holding of the upcoming parliamentary and local government’s election.
3. The Government of the Republic of Somaliland provides most of the funds for the registration of voters and electoral process but due to the above-mentioned reasons and the fact the, International Community declared they will not be able to fund the additional costs that the decision to delay the Parliamentary and local government elections will incur, the burden of which will therefore regrettably fall on the Somaliland people.

According to the Electoral Code of Conduct Law. 20/2001 Article 9, paragraph 2 require the national electoral committee to “specify the date of the election 120 days prior to the election, and the President shall issue a decree for holding of election within 15 days.

In accordance with the constitution, the National Electoral Commission shall set a date for the holding of election of November 29, 2018, and the President shall issue s decree no later than 13 December 2018.

Therefore, the National Electoral Commission declares that due to the constraints mentioned, the upcoming parliamentary and local election due to be held on 29 March. 2019 have being postponed until further date.