The National Electoral Commission of Somaliland told the media on Saturday that they are fully prepared to hold the upcoming elections on time.
The National Electoral Commission said it has the sole authority to decide whether to use biometric verification and that the stakeholders will have a voice.
NEC firmly stated that stakeholders should not interfere with the process. This declaration follows a controversial claim by President Muse Bihi Abdi, who asserted his mandate to decide the technical aspects of the elections. The president’s claim that biometric verification would be used, and that the decision had already been made was seen as a clear interference in the electoral process.
“This is interference with NEC’s work. We do not want to respond to the president. NEC should defend its independence and impartiality,” says Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi, the Waddani presidential candidate who spoke at an event in Hargeisa.
The NEC also stated that the deployment of the new and untested verification system will not delay elections. Nothing will delay the elections, they said.
NEC stated that they would talk to the donors to seek further financial support. The national budget allocated for elections is USD 10 million. “We have seven and a half million in our accounts, and the rest will be deposited soon,” NEC said.
It is not the first time the president and his cabinet members spoke about issues concerning the elections. A few weeks ago, the NEC was forced to warn the ministers after cabinet members repeatedly spoke about the biometric verification system in a decisive way.
Controversial biometric verification was never used in Somaliland, and critics see it as a tool that may be used to delay the elections.
Last month, a prominent think tank in Somaliland, ISIR, presented critical questions concerning the possibility and integrity of using the iris as biometric verification. Other academics also raised this concern.
The National Electoral Commission, which is facing financial difficulties, has not explained why it wants to spend four million dollars on a controversial system that may question its independence and the integrity of the process.
According to reliable sources, NEC wants 14 million dollars to hold the elections and an extra 4 million dollars to fund the biometric system. However, the allocated budget is only 10 million dollars.
“NEC has not explained why, let alone how,” says Aisha Ali, an academic based in Borama, Awdal region. “They do not have the money. They do not have the know-how. It was never tested. It is unnecessary. It is controversial. And the timing is wrong. Plus, the president depicted the system as his, undermining its credibility,” she added.
Aisha asked the NEC to focus on what has been agreed upon and avoid disputes that may threaten Somaliland’s security at this critical time.
The members of NEC flew to Nairobi on Sunday and are expected to meet donors.
