By Goth Mohamed Goth

An important meeting on the upcoming parliamentary and local elections in Somaliland, to ensure that the candidates meet the requirements and regulations of the country, was held today at the headquarters of the Somaliland National Electoral Commission.

The meeting was organized by the Somaliland National Electoral Commission and was attended by members and officials of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), representatives of the three official National parties (KULMIYE, UCID, and WADDANI), the Ministries of Health, Finance, and Education, Higher Learning Commission, National Attorney General, and Public Service Commission.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the way forward for the verification and selection of would-be candidates for the Local and Representative elections and to ensure that all candidates meet the requirements set out in the law and mandated by the General Electoral and Voter Registration Law dated, 91/2020 and the Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland.

Participants from various government departments and agencies have different roles in issuing Certificates of Compliance with the requirements set for candidates such as educational qualifications, taxation, security deposit, virtue, dismissal of a government employee, medical documents, and all correspondence and documents required of the would-be candidates who want to participate in the coming parliamentary and local government elections.

After lengthy discussions and insights on all these issues, the participants discussed in depth how the parties, various government institutions, and the Somaliland National Electoral Commission should ensure the implementation of Law Lr. 91/2020 and the provisions of the law such as the requirements for the candidates who will run in the upcoming elections, and all of them have pledged to implement the rules and regulations of the country set for the candidates who want to participate in the elections 31 May 2021.