Somaliland president's term of office extended

The Somaliland president's term of office has been extended by one year, just ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections which should have been held next month.

The information minister of the self-declared independent republic of Somaliland, Abdullahi Muhammad Du'ale, told IRIN on Tuesday the request had come from newly-formed political organisations which had not yet been able to register and therefore needed more time. "Otherwise, we are ready and prepared for free and fair elections," he said.

The extension was approved by the House of Elders, Somaliland's highest authority, which met in the capital Hargeysa at the weekend. President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, whose term of office expires next month, obtained the extension by 72 out of 74 votes, radio Hargeysa reported. Functioning as a legislative body, the House of Elders or upper chamber, has 83 members.

The extension is, however, being challenged by established opposition figures and presidential candidates, who accuse the administration of "manipulating" the vote. The extension was "unconstitutional and totally unacceptable", Abdirahman Aw Ali Farah, a former Somaliland vice-president, now vice-chairman of the opposition ASAD alliance, told IRIN on Tuesday.

The move by the House of Elders violated Article 83 of the Somaliland constitution according to which, he said, the president's term could be extended only if insecurity rendered the holding of elections impossible. "As you are aware, there is no insecurity in Somaliland," Abdirahman added.

He said the only solution to the problem was to convene a national conference, and "we will go ahead with plans to organise it". He stressed that the administration could not prevent the convening of such a conference, because Article 9 of the constitution guaranteed the right of assembly to all citizens. According to Abdirahman, the planned conference would take place in Hargeysa before 23 February, which is when Egal's term of office is due to expire.

Local sources said it was expected that Egal would use the extension to organise presidential and parliamentary elections to be held at a later date.