No Individual Vetting of INEBC Commissioners as Law Only Allows One-Batch Vote

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The Somali cabinet has approved the appointment of 18 members to the Independent National Elections and Boundaries Commission (INEBC) following the enactment of the law establishing the commission in accordance with the dictates of the Provisional Constitution.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission Act provides for the formation of the Commission, comprising 18 members who shall serve for six years non-renewable.

Article 7 of the Act states that the Cabinet Minister for Interior shall appoint 18 members in consultation with federal Member States and Banaadir Regional Administration and submit the list to the cabinet for approval.

The names will then be forwarded to Parliament for approval. In what might raise concerns on the veracity of the individual candidates’ suitability for the job, the article provides that lawmakers shall vote for all commissioners in one batch by show of hands. This will require a simple majority of 50%+1 for the commissioners to sail through the process.

This is unlike conventional practice, which requires that individuals intending to serve in such positions shall be thoroughly vetted and a vote cast on them. Article 16 notes that the Commission shall have a permanent secretary proposed by the chairperson and approved by commissioners.

The Act empowers the commission to carry out boundary delimitation and conduct elections at all levels in the country. This means that Federal Member State electoral bodies will cease to function as the INEBC will now take their role.