Somalia: Somaliland President discusses seats in parliament ahead of vote

HARGEISA, Somaliland-Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Silanyo) has embarked on a major drive to get political parties on board for inclusive electoral stance in the run up to 2017 vote, Garowe Online reports. 

On Wednesday, President Silanyo gathered leaders of ruling Kulmiye, UCID and Wadani parties at the presidential palace in Hargeisa.  

Somaliland leader called on government and opposition to reach a consensus on the number of seats to be allotted for each electoral region. Silanyo said, it will be wise if election stakeholders ease hurdles posed by distribution of 82 parliamentary seats to the process. 

“A national consultation is of utmost at this critical time,” Silanyo told reporters in the capital, Hargeisa.  

Most seats in the 82-member House of Representatives (HoR) go to Hargeisa, followed by Togdher and by a smaller margin, Awdal. 

Depending on the votes secured by each political party, candidates whose names are submitted to Somaliland Electoral Board (SEB) win seats in parliament.  

Somaliland parliament speaker and ruling and opposition leaders have pledged to forge ahead with a solution to challenges emerging over regional seats allocation. 

Electorate will vote in crucial parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for March 2017.  Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia declared its independence from the rest of the country as a de facto sovereign state in 1991 but it has not been recognized internationally yet.

GAROWEONLINE