MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somalia’s electoral stakeholders have concluded four-day a workshop on electoral processes and boundaries delimitation in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
Officials from Somalia’s National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) and other stakeholders including officials African (AU) have attended the capacity building workshop which is the third in a series of electoral seminars that have been convened for the stakeholders.
Participants were taken through case studies of electoral systems of African countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Tunisia.
Speaking at the conclusion of the seminar, Ms. Halima Ismael, the NIEC chairperson acknowledged the depth of knowledge derived from the training.
She said the workshop was crucial in shaping the work of the electoral commission, ahead of the envisaged one-person-one-vote elections.
“This election belongs to all of us (Somalis). Everyone here holds a stake in turning our vision for universal (adult) suffrage in 2020 into a reality,” Ms. Halima told participants at the workshop. “We either can lead our people to the polling station, or we can continue on this same 4.5 road. To choose is ours,” she remarked.
Mr. Simon Mulongo, the deputy Head of AMISOM who also spoke at the ceremony commended the worship saying it equips the stakeholders with knowledge to face the task ahead.
“It calls for clarity in strategy and clarity in vision as to where you want to go and how you will arrive there to have a neutral system that will be embraced by everyone,” Mr. Mulongo observed.
Mr. Mulongo called for a constitutional framework, which clearly defines the powers, obligations, and responsibilities of electoral actors and delineates electoral boundaries.
“We would not only like to see the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights but also, that we consolidate democratic institutions and culture to ensure that there is good governance and rule of law in our beloved country Somalia,” Mr. Mulongo said.
For his part, the chairperson of Wadajir Party Mr. Kamal Gutale urged participants at the workshop to consider and implement ideas discussed over the four days of training.
“It was the first time that the newly registered political parties were participating. We have learnt the different models of elections from countries that have been in similar post-conflict situations like Somalia,” Kamal noted.
His sentiments were echoed by the HirShabelle Minister of Interior and Local Government, Mr. Mohamed Ali Adle. “It was beneficial to all and we have learnt many things. It will be a new dawn for Somalia if the lessons we have learnt in this workshop are effectively implemented.”
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