Mogadishu (SD) – The Speaker of the Upper House of the Somali Parliament, Mr. Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, today opposed the Electoral and Dispute Resolution Commissions announced by the Prime Minister of Somalia.

A letter from Abdi Hashi’s office explained why he had rejected the formation of the commissions, saying that members of the electoral commission he appointed had been left out of the list submitted by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.

He said the four members were the committee that would have represented Somaliland in the election process, but the prime minister left them out.

He also pointed out that the members of the announced committees could not represent Somaliland or the northern regions, stating that he had not been consulted.

Abdi Hashi, in his letter informed the president, the prime minister and all the heads of state in the country.

This coincides with an ongoing dispute over how to approach the election of members of the Somali parliament from the northern regions of the federal government representing the Somaliland.