NCC set to reach deal on contentious poll issues today

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The National Consultative Council meeting is expected to conclude today as it enters the third day amid expectation on a way forward in the long-running elections that now enter the seventh month.

The technical committees, sources said will be briefing the Council on the contentious issues emerging from the ongoing Lower House elections.

Among the issues the Council is expected to issue a ruling on include security of the elections, the number of polling stations, new schedules and the functioning of the electoral teams at the federal and state levels.

The number of polling stations is one of the most important items to watch from the meeting. The September 17, 2020 Agreement which set out the framework for the current election settled for two polling centres in each Federal Member State.

However, there has been a clamour for a reduction from two to one owing to security concerns and political instability in some of the FMS notably HirShabelle, Jubaland and Puntland.