Lower House Rejects Electoral Commission Nominees

Hargeysa, 1 September, 2007 (SL Times) – On Monday the lower house of parliament held an extraordinary house session and voted for the second time to reject the remaining two electoral commission candidates nominated by the upper house of parliament.

Previously, the lower house chair committee had refused to allow the two candidates, Mr M. A. Hamud (Nine) and Mr M. A. Omar a second chance to be endorsed by the house. The chair committee of the lower house changed their stance when the arbitration committee, comprised of prominent S/land figures mediated and reached an agreement with the president and the chair committee to accept a three point accord, which included that the lower house vote on the two candidates a second time.

Monday’s extraordinary session brought the lower house out of its summer recess, as requested by President Dahir Rayale Kahin, in a presidential decree, which was issued in early August.

The lower house vote of no confidence on the two candidates was seen as a big blow to Rayale’s government.

After the defeat of the above two candidates, the upper house (Guurti) nominated Mr I. M Noor and H. M. Omar as their replacements. On Wednesday, President Rayale forwarded these new candidates to the lower house of parliament.

Source: Somaliland Times