President Musa Bihi suffered a massive blow after two of his appointees to the national electoral commission were rejected by the Somaliland House of Representatives.
The two, Muse Hassan Yusuf and Ahmed Osman Hassan were President Bihi’s nominees to the commission which has been in the news in recent months following internal squabbles that eventually saw the entire membership quit.
Also rejected by the House was Ahmed Yusuf Mohamed who had been nominated by the senate.
However, four other nominees were approved. They are Faduma Ismail Abdi nominated by the House of Elders, Abdiaziz Hirsi Warsame from the Waddani party, Hussein Abdi Ali nominated by the President, and Ibrahim Adan Ali nominated by the UCID party.
The rejection of the three means the president will have to present new names for approval.
Somaliland is currently experiencing political tension with the opposition up in arms against President Bihi who they accuse of attempting to extend his term in office beyond November this year when the presidential elections are supposed to be held.
The opposition say they will not recognise Bihi’s presidency after November.
Pressure has been mounting on Bihi to set in motion the process of elections with the traditional and religious leaders joining the opposition and the civic society in calls to have the elections held in time.
