Lower House polls for Somaliland finally kick off in Mogadishu

A delegate casts hi vote in Puntland. Lower House elections for Somaliland will start off in Mogadishu Tuesday after several delays. File Photo: Amisom — Electoral officials consult during a voting exercise in Puntland. Lower House elections for Somaliland will start off in Mogadishu Tuesday after several delays. File Photo: Amisom

Delegates from Somaliland will today cast their vote for the Lower House members following a series of delays and contests the latest being on the venue as a section of the political class pushed for the exercise to be conducted at the UN base in Halane.

The electoral body FIEIT confirmed Monday voting will take place at the Police Transport Headquarters (Xeradka Gediidka) in Mogadishu with the first seven MPs expected to be elected among them deputy prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte.

All sub clans in Somaliland combined are allocated 46 seats in the Lower House while the state is entitled to 11 seats. Lower House elections are based on the 4.5 clans system while senatorial elections are distributed along the federal member state system.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke Monday pressed for the elections to be held at Halane which hosts the UN and Amisom bases in Mogadishu over what he termed as concerns by Somaliland elders of a compromised poll should it be held outside UN quarters.

A total of 357 are expected to participate in today’s exercise with each MP being elected by 51 delegates. In total, 2,346 delegates voting for all the 46 MPs will take part in the exercise.