Somalia: Puntland finalizes TPEC lineup

GAROWE, Puntland-Puntland Government in northern Somalia has finalized a lineup of 9-member committee set to oversee State’s direct vote by 2019 in a move hailed by EU on Tuesday, Garowe Online reports.

Parliament Speaker Ahmed Ali Hashi has named the remaining four members a day after President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali formally announced five nominees for Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC),

The four new members include Dr. Saed Mohamud Hirsi (Dirac), Mohamed Ahmed Saed (Jafar), Ahmed Hassan Bile, and Abdirizak Hussein Ga’ayte.

Tuesday’s nominees have a joined a body composed of nine members.

EU Special envoy Ambassador Michele Cervone d’Urso applauded the nomination as an important step towards one person, one vote in a tweet.

Puntland suspended first-ever local council elections in multi-party system in mid-2013 for security concerns.

SOURCE: GAROWEONLINE