The Country’s Image Rests on NEC Performance

[Jacaylbaro]

The long awaited much anticipated voter registration task is likely to start in the coming weeks but things are going in a hazardous manner.

 

Following the nomination of 186 election/voter registration officers the confusion have deepened and the commission has proved what many people were expecting. This is the first time in the country’s history that the National Electoral commission has failed to acquire one firm decision towards the sensitive issues regarding the election, and probably loathe one another.

 

Among the things Somalilanders were enthusiastically looking at were qualifications, age, talent, skill, ability and gender balance.

 

The commission told Somalilander’s stridently that they loathe youthful talent in their 20s and 30s but they found more comfort in those age groups which they see close to them.

 

The NEC loudly told Somalilanders that they are not prepared to learn, listen, consult and interact with the wider public but only to listen the view of certain segments of the society regardless of their titles.

 

The success of any organization depends to a large extent on the caliber of the people who work for it, and the NEC is not an exception. on the other hand, it is commonplace but true that if the wrong people are selected, then no amount of development through good management will make them effective.

 

Successful voter registration provides opportunity for Somalilanders To plan their needs be it: Health, Education and infrastructure contrary to that, the collapse of the task will not, only spoil the reputation of the whole country but also will eliminate the Commission’s entire existence.

 

It is unlikely, that the ill-equipped, ill-timed, incompetent, unprepared National Electoral Commission can complete the arduous task of voter registration coupled with the ID cards, within six weeks isn’t it an unattainable target? taking into consideration, that majority of the population are living in rural areas while the country is currently suffering severe droughts from east to west.

 

The claim that UCID Party secretary had made that some of Regional commissioner’s are below the education standard needed by the task, while others are drop out are merit to be heard. Otherwise, we must expect looming disaster at Commission’s Head quarter which will be far worse consequence than the discredited Kenyan General Election.

 

The refusal of one commissioner to enter NEC Head quarter is adding insult to injury,

 

The current Commission seems to read identical manuscripts with those of their predecessors for the recruitment of all the important positions mainly by, nepotism, favoritism, and Clan based manner. The trouble is that old habits diehard. The commission must accept that business is not going to be as usual. They must recruit through fair, and regionally balanced modus operandi. .

 

 

Yassin Abdillahi Ahmed

Hargeisa,

hotelhargeisa@hotmail.com