MOGADISHU (SD) – Somaliland leadership caucus in Mogadishu has announced the conditions and guidelines for its lower house elections ahead of the presidential elections which is expected to take place later this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled and outgoing Senate leader Abdi Hashi announced the new guidelines on Saturday following a meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Roble, who was also involved in approving the delegate list.

The guidelines indicated that at least two-thirds of delegates (75+1) must be present for voting to commence, while winning candidates will have to secure 50+1 of the votes cast.

In an instance where there are more than two candidates, the winning candidates must secure two-thirds of the vote, failure to which the vote goes into the second round where the two candidates with the most votes will battle out.

The winner will need 50%+1 of the votes.

The candidates who are neither member of the executive or the outgoing parliament must present a clearance certificate from the police.

 The 30% must be observed in the composition of the 101 delegates (for each seat) and the election of MPs.

According to the terms of the election, a candidate must not be less than 25 years of age, has not been deprived of citizenship in the last five years and not served a jail term within a similar period.

One must also hail from Somaliland.