International community intervenes in a dispute over Somalia's Electoral Commissions.

 Sunday, 15 November 2020. Credible reports say the international community has discussed the election-related disputes with the Somali president over the formation of national and regional election commissions.

The opposition recently said the commissions included members of the National Intelligence Service (NISA), while it was also disputed that members of Somaliland had been appointed by the government. The opposition parties insisted that the speaker of the Upper House Mr. Abdi Hashi has the right of the northern electoral commission’s appointing but the government has illegally selected these members, and that is unacceptable.

Reports say the international community has called on President Farmajo to remove all NISA and government personnel from national and regional electoral committees in order to maintain justice and transparency. This will be the first step in the international community's intervention in the 20201 election process and will be new pressure on Farmajo.

The international community has nominated several people to the Technical and Dispute Resolution Committees for the National Elections and the Electoral Commissions of the HorShabeelle, K / Galbeed, and Galmudug, while Somaliland one has been asked to resolve the dispute through legal means.

The international community's demand comes amid disagreements between the government and the opposition over the selection process of the regional and national electoral members of the 2021 national Electoral and Dispute Resolution Commissions. While the speaker of the upper house openly opposed the government's plan to appoint members of the electoral commissions in the northern states, but the government responded by placing political pressure on Governor A. Hashi.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has reportedly told the international community that there are no government members in any commissions. He insisted that the selection of these commissions was done correctly.

However, it is clear that the electoral process has been diverted and that the government wants to take control of all electoral activities. This will lose the opposition's confidence in the government to hold free and fair elections. Concerns are being raised that the election schedule could be delayed due to the dispute.

Interior Minister General Mukhtar Hussein Afrah, speaking at a press conference in the prime minister's office last night said the commissions were as agreed and appointed and would not be changed and that the election would take place that way.