This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
Published on August 17, 2019, by Aggrey Mutambo
Somalia's Jubbaland state polls agency has yielded to international pressure, allowing more room for other candidates to register in an election that was threatening to divide the federal region.
The Jubbaland Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (JIEBC) announced a conditional 72-hour window for additional candidates to file their papers, starting from Saturday.
However, the JIEBC retained its tough conditions for entrants, including a $30,000 fee for men and $15,000 for women, proof of leadership experience, and a requirement that the applicant must not be a dual national, among other conditions.
The election is scheduled for next Thursday.
Dr. Hamza Abdi Barre, the JIEBC Chairperson, said the decision followed discussions with the international community on the implications of leaving out candidates whose participation would make the polls credible.
“Taking the current peace and stability enjoyed into consideration...the JIEBC decided to officially re-open the registration of the presidential aspirants for three days,” Dr. Barre said in a letter on Friday evening.
The decision to allow more candidates means the final contenders could increase from the current six, especially since a dozen more politicians had protested alleged bias from the JIEBC and formed a parallel electoral commission.
