President declares dates of political parties and presidential elections as per NEC guidelines

By M.A. Egge

The nation is now officially scheduled to go to the respective political parties and the presidential elections polls on the 23^th of December this year 2023 and the 13^th of November next year 2024.

This is as per Presidential Decree ordained on Monday by the Head of State following advisory notice guidelines recently given by the National Elections Commission to the effect.

According to a press release from the Presidency on Monday 7^th August, the President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Musa Bihi Abdi, made the determination of the scheduling of the election timeline dates as per reference to the General Elections and Voter Registration Act, Act no. 91/2020, through text Ref. No. KDG/XK/K-6/56/2023, dated 05/08/2023 on the period of holding the elections of the national parties and the Presidential and the Vice Presidential of the Republic of Somaliland.

“The Presidential Decree was as follows:-

Presidential Decree No. 22/082023

Determining the Election Period for National Parties and the President and Vice President.

Owing to; Article 16 Paragraph 1 of the General Laws on Elections and Voter Registration, Law No. 91/2020, which states that the National Electoral Commission has the power to determine the time of the elections, by submitting it to the President to issue a Decree.

Given that; Article 6 Paragraph 1 of the General Law on Elections and Voter Registration, Law No. 91/2020, which states that the Commission shall determine the dates for holding the Elections in accordance with the Constitution and the Law, based on a month before the end term of the President, Vice President and the House of Representatives, and it shall be officially determined by the Decree of President.

When I Received; The text of advisory notice Ref No.: KDG/XK/K-6/56/2023, dated 05/08/2023, which was submitted by the commission in the decision Ref No. KDG/XK/K-6/54/2023, dated 17/07/2023, with the Commission specifying that;

1. That the National Party elections should be held on December 28, 2023, in order to get three valid official National Parties, and to be given a Party Certificate (tenure) for ten (10) years, in accordance with Article 5 Paragraph 3 letter (j) of the Law of Procedure Organizations and Political Parties Law No. 14/2011;
2. That the election of the President and the Vice President will be held one month before the end of the term of office of the President and the Vice President, as mentioned in Article 83 Paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland, on 13 November 2024, in accordance with a Senate extension order with reference GG/JSL/G-03/10/2022, dated 01/10/2022;

I have therefore decided that:-

1. That National Party Elections be held in the Republic of Somaliland on December 28, 2023.
2. That the election of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Somaliland be held on November 13, 2024”. END.