Somalia’s government and federal member states on Sunday announced the introduction of universal voting rights from next year’s election, reported France 24.
The move is in line with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s pledge made in March to end a complex indirect system that has been in place since 1969. Mr. Mohamud, who has a five-year mandate, was elected as the president last year by politicians.
“The basic principles should be that the election of the Federal Somali Republic must be one that gives the public the opportunity to cast their votes democratically in a one-person, one-vote system,” the government said after reaching an agreement with state leaders.
It added that the introduction of direct universal suffrage aims to encourage an independent and corruption-free multiparty political system.
The agreement was finalized after four days of meetings of the National Consultative Forum that included Somalia’s President Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and several other federal state leaders.
It also calls for the introduction of a single ticket on which voters would choose the country’s, president and vice president, effectively eliminating the prime ministerial post.
“The premier post will be abolished and replaced with a presidential system where the president and vice president are elected directly by the people on a single ticket,” the government said.
The first election under the new system will be the local council elections scheduled to be held in June next year, followed by voting for regional lawmakers in November 2024.
President Mohamud told journalists on Sunday that Somalia’s government has decided to take the decision so that the voice of the Somali citizen becomes valuable in the matters pertaining to their future.
He said it’s time that the country moves to a democratic way of an election- a one-person, one-vote election for both federal and federal member states levels.
Somalia is currently struggling to control a bloody Islamist insurgency and natural disasters including a drought that has left millions facing hunger.
