Mogadishu (SD) – The Northern Federal Parliamentary Election Commission of Somalia has today elected Khadar Harir Hussein as its Chairman and Najib Hussein Samale as its Deputy Speaker.

The chairman and the vice-chairman both received 10 votes of the members of the Northern federal Electoral Commission.

The Northern commission was appointed by the federal government, and is the source of a dispute between the government and the union.

In recent days there has also been an increase in controversy over the Electoral Commissions, particularly the Northern Commission, with the Speaker of the Upper House accusing the Government of not appointing members he recommended.

The Somali Federal Government has repeatedly said that the appointment of members of the Northern Electoral Commissions is based on the electoral agreements between the government and the regional states.