President Farole Nominates Puntland Election Commission Members

Garowe Online (Garowe)

28 June 2011

The president of Somalia’s Puntland government has nominated members to the state’s election commission, Radio Garowe reports.

President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole presented to the 66-member Puntland Parliament his five nominees for the Puntland Election Commission (PEC), including one woman.

The Puntland state constitution empowers the President to appoint five members of the provisional PEC, while the remaining four members will be appointed by parliament.

The parliament’s representatives to PEC have not yet been nominated, sources added.

President Farole’s nominees to PEC are:

Mr. Mohamed Hassan Barre

Mr. Barkhad Ali Salah

Mr. Osman Mohamud Haji Hassan

Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed

Ms. Muhubo Muse Issa

PEC is an independent entity with constitutional powers to advance Puntland towards a multi-party political system for the first time since the state’s establishment in 1998.

Political parties will compete for seats in District Council elections across Puntland, wherefrom three major parties will constitute the only legitimate political parties in Puntland. After the formation of the three political parties, the nine-member permanent PEC will be formed with each party appointing three representatives to PEC.

Puntland, located in northeastern Somalia, is relatively peaceful and stable with its own elected government, public institutions and security forces. Puntland is at war against Al Shabaab terrorists allied to Al Qaeda and Somali pirate gangs, who threaten vital shipping routes and Puntland’s economic development.

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