Somaliland’s opposition parties, Waddani and UCID who have been pushing for presidential elections to be held in November this year appeared to be more conciliatory in the weekend when they welcomed a proposal by the country’s top businessmen to resolve the dispute to have presidential and the political organization elections be held at the same time.
While it remained unclear if the opposition also accepted the proposal to have the term of the current president Muse Bihi extended by two years, they said they were open for further discussions.
The chairman of the UCID Eng. Faisal Ali Waraabe party and the secretary of the party, Khadar Hussein Abd said at a press conference they accepted and welcomed the proposal of the committee, as to protect the reputation and unity of Somaliland.
The committee of top businesspeople met in the weekend and proposed that the political organization elections be held at the same time and reportedly be extended by two years as part of the ways to forestall the political tensions that have been building in the country over the last few months.
The businessmen were led by Dahabshiil boss Abdirashid Mohamed Saeed.
He said that by holding the elections simultaneous will ease the financial burden of the elections, and requested that the legislative councils help in their suggestion.
