Somalia’s presidential candidates from the opposition have thrown their weight behind the recent moves by Speaker Abdi Hashi of the Upper House on elections.
The candidates, who are meeting in Mogadishu to discuss the ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections, said that Speaker Hashi had legitimate authority to appoint electoral commissions.
Recently, Speaker Hashi blasted the appointment of commissioners for the Electoral Commissions and Dispute Resolution Commission by the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) for Somaliland parliamentary candidates.
Consequently, he announced a counter list of commissioners to supervise the election of Somaliland parliamentarians.
On November 26, the 14 presidential candidates issued a press release stating their unequivocal support to Speaker Hashi.
In their press release, the aspirants also demanded that election observers from the civil society must be present during the parliamentary and presidential polls.
They also urged poll authorities to ensure that the team appointed to observe the upcoming elections comprise lawyers, representatives of the candidates, and international community.