Somaliland: Electoral Postponement Undermines Democratisation Process

By Mohamed Dualeh

Horn Diplomat (Hargeisa) On Nov 28, Somaliland’s National Election  Commission (NEC) announced the postponement of parliamentary and local councils scheduled to take place in March 2019.
Somaliland opposition parties, UCID and Waddani, criticised  Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and the National Electoral commission for the unilateral postponement.

The two main opposition parties said they objected to the electoral postponement.  The chairman of Waddani party, Abdiqadir Ismail Jirdeh, reiterated the party’s lack of confidence in the electoral commission to plan and oversee postponed parliamentary and local councils election. The Deputy Secretary General of the UCID,   Abdinasir Mohamed Hassan, has called for citizens to protest the postponement.

Meanwhile, the Somaliland civil society organizations expressed their deep concern about the postponement of the parliamentary and local council elections.

 “Civil Society Organisations have continuously warned against this unfortunate scenario. The extension of the term of the current legislature and Local councils’  is unconstitutional ” said Somaliland Non-State Actors Forum in a statement released to the media.

“Center for Policy Analysis (CPA) regrets the delay of the scheduled March 2019 local council and parliamentary elections Somaliland is different from many African countries due to its mature politics and democratization process. But this election delay will have an   impact on Somaliland’s democratisation” read the statement released by the Center for Policy  Analysis (CPA)

The announcement of the electoral commission will not go down well with countries that support Somaliland on its democratisation process.

By: Mohamed Duale Editor-in-Chief HornDiplomat  Tweets @MohamadDuale 

SOURCE: HORNDIPLOMAT