Somalilandsun: Neither discussions nor negotiations shall be on the table now nor in the near future as concerns postponed parliamentary and local council’s elections.
This is according to Elder Suleiman Mahmud Aden, chairman of Guurti, the upper chamber of Somaliland parliament in Hargeisa while briefing house members upon return from a two months recess.
As he touched on the various issues Guurti Elders are set to deal with during the now opened 70th secession of the house Suleiman Aden cautioned opposition political parties against their continued ruckus as pertains new parliamentary and local council elections.
Said him “The uproar on postponed elections in Somaliland should immediately cease for the new dates se by this house, Guurti, remain in force and shall not be changed for whatever reason”
Adding that the ruckus is only concentrated within Wadani and UCID opposition political parties, as he stressed that neither discussions nor negotiations shall be entertained.
The Somaliland parliamentary and local councils elections slated for late last year were postponed by Guurti elders who have the constitutional mandate on such matters.
The rescheduling of the polls the 5th time that Parliament elections has been postponed since 2005 are now slated for mid-December to 2022, a move that has seen wide objection from the ordinary Somalilanders, opposition political parties, local traditional and religious leaders as well members of the international community with a stake in the Somaliland democratization process.
Insisting that the decision to defer the polls to 2022 was apt as a prelude to credible outcome the Guurti Chair said the extended duration shall enable concerned institutions come up with the best machinery more so national election commission members acceptable to all parties apprehensive with the current one.
Composition of the Somaliland national election commission-NEC has been a major bone of contention with Wadani party nominee to the commission failing to take office while that of UCID resigned recently in huff.
The main opposition Wadani party has accused Kulmiye, the ruling party of President Musa Bihi Abdi, of appointing biased members to the National Election Commission thus its refusal to take part in the body followed by the withdrawal of UCIDs representative.
The withdrawal of the two opposition parties’ nominees to NEC leaves the administration of president Muse Behi with two nominees, ruling Kulmiye party with one and Guurti one, in an untenable constitutional position since the electoral body isn’t in a functional state.
Though Elder Suleiman who is a powerful man in the country has categorically stated that the postponed elections remain that way, postponed, matters on the ground indicate otherwise since local elders have already intervened and come up with a reconciliation solution, REMOVAL of current NEC commissioners and replacement with the immediate past ones.
This elder’s reconciliation has received acceptance by the two opposition parties of Wadani and UCID in addition to full support by members of the International community that support the Somaliland democratization process like the EU, UK, USA, among many.
Despite the huge support to the elders political impasse comprise arrangement by many stakeholders the president has refused to disband NEC alluding to lack of legal stipulations in the constitution for removing a constitutional body from office before its term expires.
As things stand now, with Guurti claiming no negotiations, NEC devoid of full membership, president maintaining status quos at NEC, opposition parties adamant that current electoral biddy must be disbanded and international community partners categorical that elections must be held before end of 2020, the battle fronts are open and only time will tell on final outcome of this standoff.
