A two days seminar on Voter Education, awareness and sensitization on the 2020 electoral process was concluded in Mogadishu on 13th February. The seminar was organized by the NIEC’s department of Public outreach and Voter education.
The Participants, numbering about a hundred, were drawn from local youth organizations and Political parties. Also present were NIEC Outreach departmental staff, three commissioners, Ms. Khadija Osoble, Mr. Hussein Abdi Adan and Eng. Mohamed Ahmed Nur.
An official from the political party registration office was also in attendance.
The inaugural session was presided by Commissioner Hussein, who gave a welcome address and shared the objectives of the two days seminar. He stressed on the importance of creating awareness aimed at spreading knowledge and building the technical expertise of the youth in the electoral process.
The participants were given presentations on several topics derived from the recently developed national voter education curriculum. The topics covered in the 2 days seminar were: (1) the NIEC mandate, functions, achievements and plans; (2) the importance of elections; (3) rights and responsibilities of citizens with regards to elections and (4) political parties’ registration and the role of the youth.
In addition to the presentations, the participants engaged the electoral body In a Question and Answer session where many questions regarding the electoral process were raised.
At the end of each session in the two days’ seminar the participants were given printed materials detailing the topics covered.
The NIEC’s outreach and voter education department looks forward to conducting more public seminars so as to engage the public in awareness on the 2020 electoral process.