Minister: Time for Somalia to scrap indirect elections

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia'a Interior minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi insists the time has come for the country to eliminate indirect polls, which have been traditionally used to pick leaders both at the national and regional levels, excluding the people from participating in the process. 

While presiding over stakeholders meeting on elections following the proposal by the National Consultative Council [NCC], Fiqi said the country should adopt direct polls which would see residents participate in the exercise by directly choosing their leaders. 

According to him, it will be setting bad precedence by allowing few people to participate in elections in the modern world, noting that the country should embrace one-man-one-vote elections which are practiced all over the world. 

“We cannot continue to have elections that are run by a select few, elections that violate the rights and priories of the people of Somalia and this agreement aims to get us out of that bad four-year circle”, Minister Fiqi said.

Dr. Abdalla Sahid, the senior advisor to the Ministry of Interior, discussed the achievements and challenges of the implementation process of the NCC Electoral Agreement, state media reports. 

The panel discussions on the Key aspects of the NCC Electoral Agreement were moderated by Prof. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow with participation from Mr. Ahmed Nur Uleh of the Office of the Prime Minister and Mohamed Mohamud Hajir from the Interior Ministry.

“The question is, what do the people of Somalia want, let that question lead us in our discussions. The people of Somalia want good governance and better living standards. We achieve that by one person one vote” Prof. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow.

NCC proposed that the country discard the parliamentary system of government, suggesting that the presidential system should be embraced at all levels. However, the proposal has been opposed by a number of people in various states but it is still subject to approval by the bicameral legislature. 

GAROWE ONLINE