Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Somalia to Push for Voter Registration Ahead of 2021 Elections

Harun Maruf

   Somalia's National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) has
   announced plans to register millions of Somalis to participate in what
   would be the country's first popular elections in more than a
   half-century.

   NIEC Chairperson Halima Ismail Ibrahim told VOA that the commission
   wouldstart registering voters in March 2020 in a campaign that could
   last months to reach voters in Mogadishu and the regions.

   She said hundreds of registration centers wouldbe open to biometrically
   register voters.

   "At minimum, we want to register 2 [million] to 3 million Somalis,"
   Ibrahim said in an interview this week.

   The Somali population is estimated at 12 million, but realistically
   only half can be reached and registered, according to Ibrahim.

   "Many people are living outside the country. Many are in refugee
   camps.Somaliland is separate. There are areas where [militant group]
   al-Shabab is present where significant number of people live," she
   said.

   Registering voters to directly elect their parliament representatives
   would be a major departure from recent elections in the country. In the
   2017 election, 14,000 electoral delegates chose the current parliament,
   while in the 2012 election only 135 clan elders were given the power to
   select the MPs.

.