Election dates released in Somalia as leaders allocate clans parliamentary seats

MOGADISHU, Somalia - It's now clear that Somalia will hold elections before the end of the year with those for speakers of the bicameral house and the presidential elections set for February 2021, a new electoral calendar released by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Federal States leaders shows.

The agreement comes after months of talks which were engineered by Somalia's international partners and who have after all not endorsed the deal. It took local intervention and lobbying to have states like Jubaland and Puntland on the table after their leadership boycotted an initial deal which was released in Dhusamareb.

According to the timetable which may after all not change, the Upper House legislators [Senators] will be elected by Federal States assemblies from 1st December to 10th this year while the Lower House polls will kick off from 10th December to 27th the same month, which presidential and assembly leadership will be determined in January and February of next year.

The elections will bring to an end protracted political wrangles between the stakeholders, mainly the Federal States and Federal Government of Somalia, which has repeatedly been accused of interference and blatantly overstepping the constitution. 

The MPs [Lower House] members will be picked by stakeholders, not exceeding 101 from constituencies that have been earmarked based on clans. For the Senators, the regional assemblies are already in place thus it will not take long before the results are collated and declared, experts say.

Inside the deal, the leaders agreed to constitute a regional and federal electoral commission that will oversee the tedious election exercise. On top, a 21-member independent dispute resolution commission will be put in place to listen to complaints from candidates, electoral delegates.

Of these members, 12 will come from the Federal States, 9 from the Federal government, and in compliance with the topical gender parity rule; 30 percent of them will be women.. This commission will be expected to handle disputes in a professional manner that conforms with the rule of law.

And for those running for the 54-member Upper House ought to register by paying $20,000, which will help with logistics while the Lower House aspirants will part with $10,000.The deal, however, doesn’t say what plans are in place to counter alleged vote-buying practices that overshadowed last elections.

For one to qualify for clearance in parliamentary polls, he or she must have among others, be a Somali, muslim, must be of sound mind or mentally fit and at least 25 years old, his or her citizenship rights not suspended by a court for the last 5 years, and must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent experience.

The seats have been allocated based on the clan-based system commonly known as the 4.5 model, which had been opposed by members of the international community. Somali politics are clan-based thus the frequent intrigues that involve clans as they battle to control the country's leadership.

Of the 275 Lower House members, each region will get specific slots based on the clan dominance just like in the previous set-up. This includes Puntland 37, Southwest 69, Jubbaland 43, Hirshabelle 38, Galmudug 37Somaliland 46, and Banadir 5 according to the agreement signed by the leaders.

The leaders also unveiled voting centers which will be used once the exercise kicks off. Somaliland, a region which seceded from Somalia in 1991, will have the elections held in the capital Mogadishu just like the Banadir region, which is also found within the capital city.

Voting centers per region where MPs will be picked include Puntland [Garowe and Bosaso], Galmudug [Dhusamareb and Galkayo], HirShabelle [Jowhar and Beledweyne], Southwest [Baidoa and Barawe], and Jubaland [Kismayo and Garbaharey].

Mostly, the voting centers are the Federal States capitals and the second largest towns in the respective regions.

GAROWE ONLINE