On 15th December, NIEC Chairperson Ms. Halima Ismail addressed Parliament and gave an update of the electoral commission’s work as it gears up to conduct the upcoming general elections. Ms. Ismail, in her speech mentioned that successive Somalia governments have been working to move the country from the divisive 4.5 class-based power sharing formula to a more inclusive model.
She stated that political players in the country through the years reached different agreements which includes Garowe 1 agreement, Garowe 2 agreement in 2012, the National Leaders Forum agreement in 2016, Puntland FGS and FMS agreement in 2016 and the latest agreement in 2018 between FGS and FMS in Baidoa.
The Chairperson in her speech stated that International Partners as stakeholders in the electoral process have all along committed to offer both financial and technological support so as to ensure credible universal suffrage elections are conducted in the country. She indicated the recent UN Security Council meeting in November with delegates pledged support for the universal suffrage elections.
Ms. Ismail thanked Parliament for their support since the Commission’s inception in 2015. The chair requested Parliament to consider the electoral commission’s inputs regarding the reviewed electoral law currently before them.
Ms. Ismail also stated in her speech that the Commission’s five-year strategic plan (2017-2021) clearly indicates what needs to be implemented for the upcoming elections. The Chair asserted that the Commission’s five-year strategic plan has seven objectives with sub-activities on timelines.
The implementation of the strategic plan serves a great purpose in aligning with the Country’s constitution, the electoral law, Political parties law, National Leaders Forum agreement in Baidoa in 2018, the National Development Plan and the consultation that the commission had with different spheres of Somali communities.
The Chair in her speech also gave an update of the Commission’s accomplishments and categorized them into seven objectives.
Objective 1. Formulation of policies for election operation.
The commission drafted several policies to be aligned with the electoral law once finalised. They are:
1. Voter registration Operation plan
2. Election administration framework
3. Voter education framework
4. Elections disputes resolution mechanism
5. Media elections law
6. Political parties legal framework in line with VR exercise
7. Elections monitoring framework
Objective 2. Institutional Capacity building
The Commission, since its inception in 2015 has managed to build an institution with the capacity to conduct elections. NIEC developed its Organizational structure and has about 160 staff working at the Commission’s main office and the federal member states. NIEC is also a member of International electoral bodies such as AWEB, Arab EMBs.
Objective 3. Voter Education and Public awareness
The Electoral Commission has developed:
1). Voter Education Curriculum
2). Policies to regulate messages for VE and Political parties
3). Stakeholders engagement plan to get messages through to the public
Objective 4: Voter registration exercise
The Commission has successfully managed to:
1). Consult with FMS, Banadir region administration and the Somali diaspora on a viable VR model
2). Carried out a feasibility study on the different VR models
3). Capture of VR centers and sites
4). Formulation of budget for the VR exercise
5). Developed a VR Operation plan
Objective 5: Registration of Political parties and formulation of their regulations
NIEC in this regard has managed to:
1). Open the Office of registrar of Political parties
2). Awarded temporary registration certificates to 63 Political parties
3). Developed a plan for permanent registration of Political parties
4). Formulation of policies for the regulation of Political parties
Objective 6: Towards elections preparations
The Commission has managed to:
1). Formulate a budget for the election operations
2). Develop a logistics plan for the movement of election materials and hardware to FMS and Banadir region
3). Conduct by-elections whose seats were declared vacant by Parliament
5). Develop a committee of electoral security taskforce who had its first meeting in November
6). Successfully captured VR centers and sites
7). Develop election timeline
8). Develop electoral dispute resolution mechanism plan
The accomplishments and implementation of the regulations ahead lies solely with the adoption of the electoral law. Ms. Ismail called on the lawmakers to consider the following as they deliberate on what electoral model to adopt.
1). That the electoral model to be adopted must commensurate with the constitution
2). That it should safeguard the rights of voters and those vying for seats
3). That the electoral model to be adopted must not charge NIEC with responsibilities hard to implement e.g Constituencies seats allocation and safeguarding women’s quota
4). That it should safeguard the rights of youths, PWDs and minority groups
The Chair, in her closing remarks, called on the lawmakers to adopt the electoral law currently before them that reflects on the needs of the citizenry and which will help usher in a democratic government through universal suffrage elections