As the elders decision subsequently postpones presidential elections from March to December 2017 while parliamentary and local councils now set for April 2019
By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun- Somaliland presidential elections have been extended for a further two months thus coincide with expiration of new president Silanyo mandate.
This follows a decision reached by Guurti elders in Hargeisa where it was it was unanimously agreed to extend the current term of president Silanyo to December 2017.
This extension follows a request submitted by the president to the elders who sit at the upper chamber of the Somaliland parliament for term extension as a result of a drought effects in the country induced postponement of presidential elections from initial slated dates of 27th March to 10th October 2017.
The postponement reached upon jointly by the executive, three national political parties and national election commission had delayed the presidential polls for Seven months thence necessitating concurrent extension of the presidents mandate.
Guurti which is the only boy in Somaliland with constitutional authority to extend tenure of the president, Members of parliament and local governments and not initially consulted during the delay decision seems to have shown its muscle by adding two months to the dates of October set upon.
While devoid of mandate to set election dates the extension of president Silanyo’s term effectively sees the polls follow suit thence new polls date of December this year.
Similarly the elders slated parliamentary and local council ballot for 28th April 2019 from the originally set dates of October 2018,
Hopefully the drought effects on voters used as justification to delay further the elections shall have dissipated in December thence a respite from further postponements of the polls in which the incumbent Silanyo is not vying for a s cold term, thus facilitating the Candidature of Muse Behi on a ruling Kulmiye party ticket against Abdirahman Irro and Eng Feisal Ali Warabe of opposition parties Wadani and UCID respectively.
