MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Two rival factions of an electoral committee, named to manage the election of MPs representing the break-away state of Somaliland in Somalia’s parliament, elected two chairs on Saturday in secret votes.
One of the teams is loyal to the deputy prime minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled, a close ally of the current acting president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and went ahead with the election of a chairman without the presence of a group, which had earlier been picked by the speaker of the Upper House of Parliament Abdi Hashi Abdullahi.
Hours after Guled’s loyalists elected a leader, members of the Somaliland election committee picked by the Senate leader also announced it had chosen a chairman, who will facilitate the selection of MPs from the northern region, in what analysts say could lead to parallel electoral processes.
It comes as dispute over the upcoming elections has renewed over the past days, weeks after the prime minister and regional state leaders agreed to hold free and fair presidential vote.
Contact us: info@somaliguardian.com
