Today is the Day ---- Beginning of the Voters Registration

[Jacaylbaro]

Electronic Voter Registration Begins with Major Hiccups

 

Berbera (Observer): On 14 October, an ambitious electronic and biometric voter registration was launched in the Sahil region of Somaliland. First indications are that this first ever registration has faced some serious challenges. Many of the earlier problems were logistical in nature such as delays in the delivery of equipment, poorly trained or in some cases untrained computer operators unable to use the electronic equipment and fuel shortage due to one contractor not living up to his contract (or as some say disappearing with the funds).

 

Many of the logistical problems should have been foreseen. In any case, NEC quickly claimed to have resolved them.

 

More troubling, however, appears to be the poor training received by the registration staff, especially in the use of the electronic equipment. Observers were already unanimous in pointing out that the young men and women running the system were not adequately trained. These misgivings turned true during the first day. A number of stations could not do any registrations because technicians could not operate the equipment. Some stations are also reporting serious equipment malfunction. We have always understood that the voters would be given credit-card like nationality id and voter registration cards. It turns out that people are being given a large A4 size laminated paper, and the lamination machine and the color printer, we were told, have been slowing things down. Some of the operators interviewed by the Observer told us that even after three days of experience; the best stations were averaging 10 minutes per person, which is just 6 an hour.

 

On Friday, our reporters saw long lines of people waiting at all the stations in Berbera. Many people suffered heat strokes waiting for the slow-paced system in the coastal heat of Berbera.

 

It also turned out the nomadic population in the northern Sahil or coastal areas had not yet moved back from inland and registration posts in those areas could only register few (in some cases just 20 people). These stations had to be moved back to more populated areas. But will the pastoral population now away be disenfranchised by the system.

 

It also apparent that most of the citizens of Sahil did not receive enough orientation. Many actually thought that this was the actual voting period. More problematic, however, is that our reporters saw many people getting multiple registration certificates from different stations, having found out that the stations were not electronically linked and therefore could not stop them. NEC points out that double or multiple registration will be discovered by a central server once the data is brought together. We are, however, hearing the mutterings of a contentious political issue. Already some in the opposition are expressing their suspicion that purges of multiple registrations may not be uniformly handled in all areas. It is also not clear how NEC is going to handle these purges. Will they completely purge voters who register in more than one location or will they keep one location for them and if so how will they choose and communicate to the individual the remaining location? If voters do not receive adequate assurance that those who have registered themselves in multiple locations will be dealt with in a satisfactory way that ensures the integrity of the system, people in other regions may think it prudent to follow suite.

 

We hope NEC and the other competent authorities are looking at these issues. It is clear that the first day of registration was a near-complete wash out and Sahil should be given at least one or two extra days.

[Jacaylbaro]

HARGEISA, SOMALILAND- Voter registrations have started in Somaliland in preparation for the upcoming general elections expected to take place at the end of march 2009. On Tuesday this week registrations of the voters started in the first region in Somaliland in the region of Sahil

 

The voter registration in the region started after three months of planning in which people of all walks of life from Sahil region took part including the vice president of the republic Somaliland, Ahmed Yousuf Yasin, who led in the registration by being the first to register. While registering VP Ahmed Yousuf Yasin encouraged the population to register and be documented and become part of the nation’s historical legacy.

He also told the youth who are aspiring to immigrate to the developed countries that it is necessary to be a registered citizen, and enjoy the right to vote after registration.

VP Ahmed Yousuf Yasin also the people to register and differentiate themselves from their brothers in Somalia who are still suffering from lack of peace and stability.

 

the speaker of the Somaliland’s elected parliament Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi too registered who has blood ties to the Sahil region and his affiliation with the Opposition party, UCID party. He stated that all the politicians, opposition and government, business people, youth, women and every else who reach the age of 16 should register him or herself and be proud to be registered for the first time in the nation’s history.

 

The people from Sahil region became emotional and avidly followed iteh process fo registration, since they are the first region to be part of the registration process. When asked some did not get enough information on why people needed to be registered and had told SSI that they had initially thought that registration was not required to go and vote on election day.

 

Also present at the launch of the registration include invited guests from all the three political parties, representative form the lower and upper houses of parliament, international observers and local NGO’s who were following the registration process. the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Mohamed Ismail Kaboweine, in an exclusive interview with SSI said: “the work is going on in a proper manner as it was planned and once registration is concluded in the Sahil region registration of voters in other regions will start.

 

he reasoned that the Sahil region was chosen to be the first to test voter registration because of the fact that it is the smallest region and has a smaller population in relation to the other regions.

 

international observers and diplomats within the African diplomatic core mentioned at the occasion that documented Somaliland nations would get a better chance for consideration while applying for visas from Western embassies as previously problems were faced while trying to classify Somalis from Somalia and Somaliland and as a result Somaliland nationals would be refused visas because of the ensuing confusion.

 

TURKISH WEEKLY