Mogadishu (SD) – Somali Lawmakers from the northern regions of both the Upper and Lower Houses met in Mogadishu today, strongly opposing the Speaker of the Upper House Abdi Hashi, who in recently weeks argued that he has the right to appoint the electoral committees that represent Northern regions.

The lawmakers said in a press statement released after their meeting today that Abdi Hashi did not fully represent them in his recent statements opposing the formation of the Northern regions electoral commissions.

The statement, signed by 47 members of both houses of parliament from the northern regions, supported the government, saying the electoral commissions appointed by prime minister Roble, are done in accordance with the political agreements and are the resulting procedures of extensive consultations with parliamentarians, politicians and traditional leaders from said regions.

“We want to make it clear that the Speaker of the Upper House, although an elder and we hold him in high esteem, does not represent the members of the two Houses of the FGS Parliament and the traditional elders in his speeches and statements criticizing the formation of electoral commissions of the North, as he has never consulted nor spoke with us.” the statement said.

They concluded by saying that it was unfortunate that politicians with political motives were trying to use the northern region’s parliamentary elections as a way to disrupt the agreed upon national elections.

Disputes over electoral commissions, particularly in the northern regions, have intensified in recent times, with the government seemingly gaining ground, as majority of MP’s from the two councils representing the northern regions turned their backs on the Speaker.