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Hargeysa, Somaliland, February 28, 2009 –
The election date in Somaliland has been postponed by the election
commission on Monday.
Mr. Jama Mohamed "Sweden," the election commission chairman, addressed
Somaliland's lower house of parliament - the House of Representatives -
at parliament hall in Hargeysa.
The parliament meeting was chaired by Mr. Abdiaziz Mohamed Samale, the
deputy Speaker, and was attended by most members of the 82-seat
parliament.
Mr. Sweden said donor nations have pressured the election commission to
set a firm date for the election, which was scheduled to be held on
March 29.
But the election commission chairman said the voter-registration process
needs more time, adding that the commission successfully completed a
phase of the project.
MP Ahmed Du'ale Bulale posed a question regarding what happens if the
election date is postponed.
The election commission's deputy chairman, Mr. Ali Mohamed Bikalo,
responded: "A clause in the previous agreement stated that a joint
decision must be reached among the election commission and the political
parties."
That agreement was signed last year after Somaliland President Dahir
Riyale unconstitutionally extended his term by one year.
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