Communique
NationalLeadershipForum(NLF)
2016Elections
Mogadishu06-14September2016
The National Leadership Forum (NLF) held a meeting in Mogadishu from 06-14
September2016.ThemeetingwaschairedbythePresidentoftheFederalRepublicof
Somalia,H.E.HassanSheikhMohamud,andwasattendedbytheSpeakeroftheFederal
Parliament, H.E. Mohammed Osman Jawari; the Prime Minister of the Federal
Government, H.E. Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke; the Deputy Prime Minister of the
FederalGovernment,H.E.MohamedOmarArte,thePresidentofPuntland,H.E.Abdiweli
Mohamed Ali-Gaas; the President of Jubbaland, H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Islaan; the
President of South West, H.E. Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan; and the President of
Galmudug,H.E.AbdikarinHusseinGuled.
Thismeetingwasafollow-uptotheForum’smeetingheldinMogadishuon02-09
August2016,inwhichdecisionsweremadeabout2016elections.
Theobjectiveofthismeetingwastoassesstheachivementsmadesofarandtofinalize
thependingissuesontheimplementationofthe2016NationalElectoralProcess.
1. TheOpeningSession:
1.1. ThePresident:Welcomedalltheparticipantsandexpressedspecialthanksto
theInternationalCommunity.ThePresidentunderlinedthatthetimeavailable
was very limited and stressed the need to work together to accelerate the
electoralprocessduetotherelativelyshorttime,andheparticularlyurgedthe
International Community to keep their pledges of support for the
implementationofthe2016indirectelections.
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1.2. TheUNSpecialRepresentative,Mr.MichaelKeating,gavealengthyspeech
at the opening session, where some representatives of the donor community
werepresent.TheissueshetoucheduponincludedtheFinalizationoftheStateformation process for Hiran and Middle Shabelle, the Constitutional Review
Proces, the issues of indirect elections and the security issue. He finally
reaffirmedtotheForumthattheinternationalcommunitywasreadytoprovide
fullsupportandwouldmakeeffortsontimelydisbursementofeverything.
1.3. The National Leadership Forum commended the FIEIT and the SIEITs for the
progress achieved in the preparation for the 2016 elections, including the
meetingsthatstartedforthetraditionalelderstodeliberatetheformationofthe
electoralcollegesthatwillvoteforthe275seatsoftheNationalAssemblyofthe
FederalParliament.
2. Transparencyoftheelectoralprocess
2.1.The Forum reiterated its commitment to a transparent and credible electoral
process.Towardsthisend,membersoftheNLFunderscoredthattherewillbe
no further changes to the basic principles and modalities of the electoral
process. The Forum members stressed the importance of [enhanced] public
informationandoutreachandcalledontheFIEITtourgentlytakeallnecessary
actionsforthispurpose.
2.2.Each member of the NLF signed a code of conduct designed to protect the
transparency, efficiency andsmooth process of the indirect electoral activities.
TheForumurgedallparliamentaryandpresidentialcandidatestosignthecode
of conduct. The FIEIT will be responsible for ensuring that the application of
eachcandidateisattachedwithasignedcopyofthecodeofconduct.
2.3.The Forum reiterated its commitment to enable the monitoring and
observationoftheelectoralprocessbyrelevantSomaliandinternationalactors
andorganizations.TheFIEITistaskedtofinalizetherelevantproceduresand
regulations and to invite the relevant Somali and international actors and
organizations and to finalize the administrative steps related to their
monitoringandobservation.
3. BudgetforImplementingthe2016IndirectElection
3.1. In their meeting on 6da September 2016, Members of the Forum expressed
concern over the funding for the budget of the implemention of the indirect
electionsoftheNationalLegislativeAssemblies.Thisfeelingwasbroughtabout
by (a) the fact that there is no budget subhead in the 2016 national budget
allocated to the electoral implementation; and (b) that it is unclear how the
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allocatedsupportfundsexpectedfromthedonorsoftheinternationalpartners
wouldbeavailable.Therefore,theForumresolvedthat:
3.2. It is important to implement the electoral process according to the planned
timelines.Therefore,theForumiscommittedtoassuretheSomalipublicthat:
(a)theelectoralprocesswillbeimplementedaccordingtotheplannedtimeline
which was conveyed to the Somali public by the Federal Indirect Electoral
ImplementationTeam;and(b)thattheelectoralimplementationisacollective
responsibilityrenderingeverycitizenresponsibletoefficientlyworkon;
3.3. AlthoughtheMembersoftheForumhopethattheInternationalCommunitywill
providethefinancialsupport,aspledged,toadministertheelections,Members
oftheForumagreedthattheFederalGovernmnetandFederalMemberStates,
asSomalis,wouldcountonthemselvesandbearthecostoftheindirectelectoral
implementationbudget,totheextentpossible;
3.4. TheForumwelcomestheFedralGovernmnet’sreviewofthe2016budgetand
theinclusionofaspecialsub-headtocoverthecostofrunningthe2016indirect
elections.Tosupplementandcompletetheelectoralbudget,theForumtasked
thePrimeMinistertofollow-upwiththeInternationalPartnerstodisbursethe
fundstheyhadearlierbledgedfortheimplementationoftheelectoralprocess.
4. Issues related to the Electoral Management and the Traditional
Elders
4.1. TheForumreaffirmsthatthe135TraditionalEldersapprovedin2012shallbe
the basis for the list of elders working on the 2016 indirect elections. Any
traditional elder who replaced another tradional elder who passed away was
alsoaddedtotheoriginallist.TheForum,havingconsideredtheessenceofthe
recommendationsbyFIEITregardingtheissuesaboutthetraditionaleldersand
themanagingoftheindirectelections,hasresolvedasfollows:
4.2. Atraditionalelderwhoisinthe135list,andwhoseclanseatsarescatteredin
different constituencies should select only the electoral colleges of the
constituencywhereheis.Fortheotherseatsinconstituenciesotherthanwhere
heis,heshouldassignthetaskstoanabadoonelderorthenabadooneldersof
the clan to which the seat belongs and who took part in the state formation
processoftheexsistingandemergingfederalstatesandthiswillbeverifiedby
theregionaladministrationsandtheSIEITs.
4.3. The Forum approved Ugaas Hassan Ugaas Khaliif Ugaas Rooble as the
traditionalelderrepresentingtheHawadleclaninthe135listoftheTraditional
Elders,sincehewasofficiallyinauguratedbyhisclan,andheshallreplaceOmar
UgaasMumin.
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4.4. Any traditional elder who fails to go to the electoral constituencies where the
activitiesofelectingtheseatsofhisclanarebeingconducted,orfailstoappoint
a representative for the same tasks, or fails to sumbit the lis of the electoral
collegesontime,thematterwillbetakenoverbytheSIEITs,theRegionalState
administration where the seat/seats are located as they will gather the
traditional elders of the clan to which the seat belongs in order to select (5)
Nabadooeldersoneofwhomshallbetheirleader,toselecttheelectoralcolleges
fortheclan;
4.5. TheclansthathaveseatsintheFederalParliamentbuthavenotraditionalelder
in the list of 135 traditional elders, and their seats in 2012 were signed by
traditional elders of other clans, the electoral colleges for such seats will be
nominated/selected by the elder in the 135 list of traditional elders who had
signed it in 2012, in full consultation with the traditional elders of the clan to
whichtheseatbelongs;
4.6. TheseatsofRuutisclanintheHousesoftheParliamentshallbesignedbythe
TraditionalElderofReerRuutissub-claninthe135listofthetraditionalelders,
in full consultation with the traditional elders of other Ruutis sub-clans who
havenorecognizedtraditionalelderinthe135listofthetraditionalelders.
4.7. TheForumdecidedthatthetwoseatsassignedtoMushunguliclan,thatarein
theelectoralconstituenciesinJubbalandwhichisoneofthecomplaintsandwas
previouslyheldbyEyloJafaay,shallberesolvedbyajointdecisionbythetwo
Presidents of Jubbaland and South West in consultation with the concerned
traditionalelders.
5. EnsuringWomen’sQuota
5.1. ToensurethewomenquotaintheseatsofHousesoftheFederalParliament,the
Forumresolvesthat:
5.2. Ifaclanhasthree(3)seatsintheHouseofthePeople,oneoftheseatsshouldbe
contestedexclusivelybythewomenofthatclan;
5.3. Similarly, other clans who are consanguinely related, their seats will be
aggregated according to their consanguinity and relations, and then one seat
which is exclusively contested by women is required to be selected from each
threeseats;
5.4. Theseatsoftheclanswhorefusetosubmitthewomenseatwillbesuspended
untilthetheSIEITsandtheRegionalStatemakeafinaldecisionontheseats.
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5.5. OnthewomenquotaintheUpperHouse,theForumagreedthateachregional
state shall ensure that 30% of the seats of the Upper House will be contested
exclusivelybywomen.
6. IndirectElectoralDisputeResolutionMechanism(IEDRM)
6.1. Duringitsmeetingon6-14September2016,theForumapprovedthedutiesand
powers (Terms of References) of the Dispute Resolution Mechanism, and
establishedandapprovedmembersoftheMechanismwhichconsistsoftwenty
five(25)members.
6.2. TheForumcallsontheInternationalCommunitytoaddexpertstotheElectoral
DisputeResolutionMechanismtoadviseit.
6.3. The Forum also agreed that the Mechanism, in cooperation with the
international experts, shall make a regulation stating the procedure of hearing
cases/complaintsandthetimeduringwhichcomplainstshallbefinalized.
6.4. The first meeting of the Mechanism shall be held within a week, starting from
the date when the names of members of the Mechanism are announced. Any
memberwhosendsexcusesandfailstocomeontimeshallbereplacedbythe
NLF.
7. TheissueofHiranandMiddleShabelle:
7.1. TheForumonceagainurgesthecitizensinMiddleShabelleandHiranRegions
to show unity and good neighbourliness and establish the Regional
Administrationtheeasiestwayandassoonpossible.TheFederalGovernmentis
also assigned to provide any necessary facilitation to the preparation and
implementationoftheestablishmentoftheRegionalAdministration,andtotake
afinaldecisionontheissuesrelatedtotheelections.
8. TheIssueoftheUpperHouse
8.1. Havingseen/heardnumerouscomplaintscomingfromdifferentsectionsofthe
Somali society and considering the limited time it has to hold the indirect
elections, the Forum decided that the number of seats of the Upper House be
limited to fifty four (54) in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the
agreementofthetheForumon12April2016.
9. TheIssueofSomaliland
9.1. The decisions taken at the the Forum on the administration of the electoral
processshallonlybeusedforandshallbelimitedtothe2016indirectelections.
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9.2. ThedecisionsoftheForumonpowersharingoftherepresentationofthepeople
intheFederalLegislativeAssembliesshallnothaveanyeffectontheoutcomes
oftheongoingtalksbetweenSomaliaandSomaliland.
10. Quorumofvotingsessionsofthedelegates:TheForumdecided
that:
10.1.
The quorum of the voting sessions of the delegates consisting of 51
membersshallbevalidwhenatleast41membersarepresentandvote,whichis
equivalentto80%ofthetotalnumberofthedelegates;
10.2.
Atraditionalelderofagivenclanshallnotbebarredfrombeingpartof
thedelegatesofhisclanandcanhaveavoteunlessheoptsoutordesignatea
representative;
11.
TheIssueofSecurity
11.1.
The Forum had indepth discussions and agreed to strengthen the
country’s security, in general, and to beef up the security of the elections, in
particular;
11.2.
The Forum also approved the establishment of the National Security
Committee,consistingof:thePresidentoftheRepublic,whowillchairit,andthe
Speaker of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister of the Federal
Government, Presidents of Regional States, and the Federal Government
MinistersofSecurity,Justice,Defence,FinanceandForeignAffairs;
11.3.
It was also decided that the National Security Committee to have a
SecretariatwithexperienceinsecurityandledbytheNationalSecurityAdvisor
ofthePresidentoftheRepublic;
11.4.
The Forum welcomed and agreed on the integrated plan and the
commandstructureoftheSomaliArmedForces(SAF).
12. Supportforthe2020ElectionsProcess
12.1.
Recognizingthatthedirectuniversalelectionsthatareexpectedtobeheldin2020
shallbethebasisofbuildingthefoundationofdemocratizationinthecountry,theForum
callsupontheinternationalcommunitytosupportandworkwiththeNationalIndependent
ElectionsCommission.
13.
TheNationalLeadershipForum(NLF)
13.1.
The NLF is ready to come together and hold consultation on any other
issuethatmayarise.
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14. Appreciation
14.1.
The Forum would like to thank the Goodwill Ambassadors of Somali
womenandtheCommitteeofWomenMembersoftheFederalParliamentwho
really showed professional skills and commitment to achieve the 30% women
quota.
14.2.
The Forum would also like to thank the Federal and State level Indirect
Electoral Implementation Teams for the good work they did during the time
theywereinexistence.
14.3.
The Forum would also like to specifically thank the international
communitythatalwayssupportstheFederalGovernmentofSomalia.
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