President Hassan Sheikh disabands Electoral Commission, orders formation of new body

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has dissolved the National Independent Electoral and Border Commissions and the Federal Boundaries Commission.

The President through an official decree made the changes aimed at reversing laws and institutional policies formed by his predecessor Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. 

The National Database and Registration Authority (DADSOM), Somalia’s citizen registration and identification agency, has also been dissolved by the head of state. 

President Hassan directed the cabinet to constitute a fresh membership to the National Independent Elections Commission and the Federal Boundaries Commission.

The three articles passed by the Somali lower house of parliament in December 2020 include, the one regarding the Approval of the Law Amending Article 9 of the Law Establishing the Independent Commission for National Elections.

The others are the bills approving amendments to Article 10 of the Law Establishing the Independent Border and Federal Commission and the bill Approval of the Law on the Registration and Identification.

Somalia’s Lower House Chamber of Parliament in December 2020 passed a controversial electoral law amid growing calls for amendment ahead of the approval.

The amendments were seen as a major win for the then President Mohamed Farmajo, where out of 178 members, 171 voted in favor of the draft bill, 5 rejected it while two abstained. 

The Population Identification and Registration Authority (DADSOM) in Somalia is led by Mukhtar Hussein Mahamed (Qoransay), while the disbanded National Independent Elections Commission and the Federal Boundaries Commission is headed by Halima Ismail.

The changes are significant to the administration which has promised to hold one man one vote elections in Somalia by the end of the term of the current government. 

Somalia has not held multiparty elections since late 1969 when the military seized power from a democratically elected government in a bloodless coup. 

The military remained in control until 1991, followed by thirty years of civil war and political instability.

The country is hopeful to conduct universal elections across the Federal member States to steer on efforts aimed at visualizing a democratic Somalia.