Somaliland opposition demands caretaker government

Somaliland opposition demands caretaker government

HARGEISA, Somalia Mar 4 . The lopposition parties in Somaliland has refused to sign a second delay in the election date until a caretaker government is appointed.

A Wednesday meeting in Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital, was held between the election commission and two political parties: the ruling UDUB party and the opposition UCID party.
But the leading opposition party, Kulmiye, refused to participate at the talks and demanded a private conference with the Somaliland Election Commission..

Mr. Muse Bihi, Kulmiye's deputy chairman, later told reporters that the election commission proposed that the Kulmiye party sign the new date, which delays the election from March 29 to May 31."We welcome a fair election, but the question is what happens after April 6 when the current government's term expires?" Mr. Bihi asked, adding: "Neither us [political parties] nor the election commission has authority and the decision rests [only] with the two Houses of Parliament."

Meanwhile, Election Commission deputy chairman, Mr. Ali Mohamed "Bikolo," told journalists that meetings to convince the opposition parties "will continue until there is a consensus."

Both Opposition parties KUlmiye and UCID declared that they will recognise President Riyale after his extended term ends on 6 April 2009, and called Somaliland Parliament, both houses to take necessary action to set a care taker government. "It is their constitutional rights to assume necessary power to sail the nation this critical period" Bihi Said.

There is tension and anxiety in major towns of Somaliland. Extra security personnel are reported in Hargeysa, Buroa and Borame.

Ali Hargeysawi,
Freelance Journalist,
Hargeysa

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