Somalia to conduct civic elections by end of June – Election Commission
The journalists were taken around a packed warehouse with election materials. The election body chief said political parties’ elections are ongoing and that soon the public will get an opportunity to elect their civic leaders. This will be the first time since 1967 that universal elections will take place in Somalia.
Somalia will soon kick start a national voter registration campaign and conduct its first civic election by the end of June following the arrival of the much-awaited election materials, the country’s election body said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media at the National Independent Elections and Boundaries Commissions offices in Mogadishu, Commission Chairman (NIEBC) Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan confirmed the arrival of the elections materials and gadgets and said the country should prepare for elections.
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“Today is a big historic day. We have received election materials including voter registration and actual voting gadgets. Today we have all the equipment and materials we need for holding civic elections that will start place from June 30 this year,” Abdikarim said at the election commission offices in Mogadishu flanked by other Commissioners.
The journalists were taken around a packed warehouse with election materials. The election body chief said political parties’ elections are ongoing and that soon the public will get an opportunity to elect their civic leaders. This will be the first time since 1967 that universal elections will take place in Somalia.
“We will start the national voter registrations next month. We are heading to an election period in this country. As you know when Somalia became independent, it started as a democratic country in which its people voted for their leaders. We now have all needed equipment including the staff required for the job and all materials for holding elections,” NIEBC Chairperson Abdikarim added.
As the Chairman made the announcement, the same day an explosion rocked Mogadishu near State House allegedly targeting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s convoy. His office later said he had visited forces on the frontlines outside Mogadishu. The National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh-Ali confirmed the President was safe.
The opposition and critics of the government claim the government wants to hold a one-sided election with a commission it has selected. However, the NIEBC Chairman is on record saying the commission is independent and that they want to hold free and fair elections.
Locals welcome the opportunity for them to elect their leaders saying the country needs to have universal elections for it to be at par with the rest of the countries in the world. Previous elections in Somalia have been indirect with clan elders and representatives electing Members of Parliament and Senators who in turn elect the President.
“We welcome universal elections in the country is something good for our country's image but unfortunately the politicians are not united. We hope the elections will be free, fair and peaceful,” Abdifatah Saney, a resident of Mogadishu told Eastleigh Voice.
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