Somaliland President Rejects New Election Commission Members

 Somaliland President Rejects New Election Commission Members

Hargeisa — The leader of Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland has rejected two new members of the election commission presented by opposition parties,


Somaliland President Dahir Riyale rejected two new members of the election commission, saying that the opposition representatives did not fulfill "selection criteria."

The two new members, Ms. Ilhan Mohamed Jama of Kulmiye party and Mr. Khadar Mohamed Guled of UCID party, were presented as the new opposition representatives in Somaliland's seven-seat election commission.

It was unclear what "selection criteria" the new candidates for the election commission failed to fulfill, but Kulmiye party chairman Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo issued a press statement responding to President Riyale's rejection Sunday and demanding an explanation.

"Mr. President, there is no clause in the laws of the country [Somaliland] giving you the authority to reshuffle the election commission," Mr. Silanyo's press statement read.

Further, Somaliland's opposition leader warned President Riyale to "avoid anything that can hinder the normal procedural process of the six-agreement."

Last month, Somaliland's political rivals signed an agreement ending the months-long dispute over delayed presidential election. The six-point agreement, which was brokered by foreign diplomats, called for new appointees to the election commission.

President Riyale's rejection of the new election commission candidates has raised concerns of a new and emerging dispute that could threaten the six-point agreement, said sources in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital.

Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, unilaterally declared independence from the rest of the Horn of Africa country in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.