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UN urges Somali leaders to chart way forward on 2021polls
The United Nations (UN) office in Somalia has called on the country’s leaders to reach consensus on a way forward on holding a universal vote as early as March 2021.
In a statement issued in Mogadishu on Sunday, the UN lauded the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) chairperson Halima Yarey for presenting electoral options to realise direct voting for Somalis.
“Now that NIEC chairperson has presented electoral options, the UN in Somalia urges broad consultation among Somali political leaders to reach consensus on a way forward,” said the UN.
It said the planned three-day meeting of the national government and the Federal Member States which is slated for early July is a good next step for the leaders to agree on the electoral process.
The UN statement comes after the poll body said on Saturday it will not be possible to hold elections this year due to technical and logistical issues including the security situation in the country.
Halima Yarey, chairperson of NIEC said the poll body requires 13 more months to prepare a credible poll where Somalis will have an opportunity to take part in ‘one person, one vote’ election for the first time since 1969.
“The commission needs to register citizens, register political parties and the candidates,” Yarey told parliament in Mogadishu.
She said the earliest Somalia can go to the polls is March 2021 if Parliament approves the manual voter registration option which she said could take only nine months as opposed to biometric registration which is costly in terms of acquisition and training of staff.
Somalia is preparing for universal suffrage elections, which will be the first of its kind after more than two decades since the outbreak of the civil war that followed the collapse of the government in 1992.
However, the country’s opposition alliance (FNP) on Sunday said the electoral commission has lost public and political stakeholders’ trust and called for the entire commission to resign.
FNP said they will not accept even a day of extension of the election date and blamed the NIEC, saying it’s blended with the leadership of the country.
The electoral commission defended itself, saying it’s an impartial institution and urged all stakeholders to stand with the commission to make this historic election a reality. -Xinhua
News
Upper West Regional Police Command secures conviction against notorious robbers
The Upper West Regional Police Command is pleased to announce the conviction and sentencing of Abdulai Ibrahim alias Baba, 34 (Driver Mate) and Abdulai Kipo, 36 (Butcher), for their involvement in conspiracy to commit crimes to wit robbery and robbery.
The duo were found guilty and sentenced to 28 and 18 years imprisonment in Hard Labour, respectively.
The accused persons were implicated in a series of robberies across the Napogbakole, Danko, SSNIT, and Konta areas of the Wa Municipality.
Their arrest and conviction were made possible through intelligence-led investigations and meticulous gathering of evidence by the Regional Police Intelligence Directorate.
The conviction and sentencing were carried out at the Wa Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Jonathan Avoogo.
The court’s verdict underscores the Command’s commitment to ensuring justice and safety in the region.
The Upper West Regional Police Command reaffirms its determination to make the region safe for peaceful coexistence and will continue to work tirelessly to combat crime and protect its residents.
News
Police arrest two suspects for possession of suspected narcotic substance at Ayi Mensah
The Ghana Police Service has arrested two suspects for possession of eleven (11) large compressed sacks of a substance suspected to be narcotics at Ayi Mensah in the Greater Accra Region.
The suspects, Mathew Narkotey and Augustine Teye, were arrested by a team from the National Operations Department (NOD) on June 7, 2025 during routine patrols. The suspects were onboard a Mazda pick-up truck with registration number GT 3490-P when a search uncovered the suspected narcotic substance concealed in the vehicle.
The vehicle and the suspected substances have been impounded and are currently secured at the Joint Operations Centre for evidential purposes.
Both suspects are in police custody assisting with investigations, while efforts are underway to arrest one Martey, named by the suspects as the intended recipient of the consignment.
