MOGADISHU — The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) yesterday called on politicians to ensure a smooth ending for the transitional process that is scheduled to lead to elections in late August, said a statement yesterday.
Somali government is preparing to host this month a much- awaited National Constituent Assembly (NCA) that is expected to vote on a draft constitution for Somalia and a new parliament is due to be formed before end of the month.
“The transitional period must end on the 20th of next month.
The selection of delegates for the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) is almost complete and it is expected that the NCA will soon take place,” said Wafula Wamunyinyi, Deputy Special Representative for Somalia.
The NCA meeting has been delayed by the Somali government due to what it said were technical reasons and announced the meeting will take place before the end of the month.
Somalia’s clan elders are currently in Mogadishu to select the 825 members of the NCA that will have to be drawn from all the Somali clan along agreed quota formal known as the 4.5 formula which gives a share of membership to each of the four major clans and have a share to a coalition of minority clans.
The Somali elders will also choose the 225-member parliament that will replace the current 550 member legislature.
The new federal parliament is expected to choose a speaker and deputy speakers and will also elect a new president before 20 August as outlined in landmark agreement known as the roadmap reached by Somali leaders.
The African Union which deployed almost 17 000 soldiers as peacekeepers in Somalia called on Somali government implement security measures to safeguard security for the delegates and other participants in the upcoming National Constituent Assembly meeting. — Xinhua.