Somalia: Supreme Court nullifies parliamentary seats, calls for re-e lection

MOGADISHU, Somalia- Somalia’s Supreme Court has nullified several seats of the Lower House chamber considered to be rigged during the parliamentary electoral process in the regional states last year, Garowe Online reports.

A total of 8 seats were ordered for re-contest for failing to adhere to the rules of the electoral process, ruling in favor of the appellants who filed for complains against the voting results.

Last December, the Independent Electoral Disputes Resolution Mechanism (IEDRM) has dismissed the results of 11 seats from Jubaland, Galmudug, Puntland, Hirshabelle and Southwest but later was overruled by Somalia’s National Leadership Forum chaired by former President Hasan Shaikh Mahmoud.

The decision came following hearing procedures in the past five months, obtaining testimony from concerned sides, and according to the evidences presented, the court decided to nullify the results for re-election of the seats.

According to the statement released by the Supreme Court, current lawmakers who will go through re-election are Muna Khalif Shaikh, Abdulahi Mohamed Adan, Sharmarke Garad Saleban, Mohamed Saed Abdulahi, Abdiaziz Salah, Nadif Adan, Mohamed Ahmed and Samra Ibrahim.

During the parliamentary election last year, the international community expressed concerns to the electoral process that was marred by irregularities and corruption, and urged Somali leaders and electoral bodies to take actions against seats that were triumphed through misconduct and malpractice.

GAROWEONLINE