London, UK, August 22, 2009 – At a public meeting held in West London on last Saturday, Somaliland organizations based in the United Kingdom joined the chorus of condemnations over president Rayale’s decision to hold the forthcoming presidential election planned for 27 September without voter registration list and his unilateral expulsion of donor countries from Somaliland. 

The meeting, which was organized by Somaliland International Recognition Action Group, West London Somaliland Community and UK Somaliland Society and others, was a rare opportunity for members of the Somaliland community to express their views on the current political stalemate and constitutional crisis precipitated by the president ahead of the presidential election in September. 

The spirit of the meeting, which was attended by people from all walks of life and of different political persuasion debating together, was quite an achievement.  

Participants of the meeting vented their anger at president Rayale’s decision to abandon the much-awaited final voter registration list despite his decision is contrary to the spirit of the Electoral Law of the country. 

“Simply put, neither the NEC [National Electoral Commission] nor the President can unilaterally or bilaterally announce that the election will be held without voter registration. Since the passage of the Voter Registration Act 2007 on 8 July 2007, no voting in Somaliland could take place without voter registration,” said a statement issued by Promotion of the Constitution Group – an independent non-party political voluntary pressure group consisting of Somalilanders living in the Diaspora 

Rayale continues to defy the will of the parliament as well as growing calls for his government to respect the constitution and the law of the land. 

Source: Somaliland Globe

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