Somali poll officials undergo training in Kenya as the country prepares for ‘one Person, one vote’ elections by 2020

david nganga

August 7, 2018 6:23 PM

The training is backed by the African Union Commission and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)

Somalias electoral officials and stakeholders met in Kenya on Tuesday ahead of a four-day intensive training programme on election management.

The training backed by the African Union Commission and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) aims to build participants' understanding of the constitutional and electoral legal frameworks for Somalia.

Francisco Madeira, the AU Special Representative for Somalia said most of the participants in the training have very clear ideas on the complexity of the process and they are effectively discussing what needs to be discussed.

"How to go over and solve these complicated issues, how to confront the issue of clanism in Somalia, with its traditional cultural influences, where women's rights are not necessarily; what the general western conception is; or what the general democratic practice is," Madeira said.

Clan-based formula

Somalia has held three polls hinged on a clan-based formula in which the lawmakers were selected by the clan elders, and then the legislators elect the president.

However, in 2016, Somali political leaders agreed to scrap the clan-based formula in favor of a one person, one vote system which the electoral body hopes to implement in the 2020/2021 polls.

Analysts said a key step in creating a stable and democratic political system is the registration of political parties, in line with the Political Party Law of the Federal Government, which was passed by the Somali Parliament in June 2016.

david nganga