Supreme Court Says Yet to Receive S.West Polls Results as Commission States Awaiting Court Guidance

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Supreme Court says it has not yet received any official results from the South West State parliamentary elections, despite the electoral commission previously referring to the court’s role in handling disputes related to the vote. In a statement issued on May 18, the court said no election results connected to the elections held in South West State had been formally submitted before it.

“The Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Somalia clarifies that, until now, no election results related to the elections conducted in South West State have been officially submitted to the Supreme Court.” The statement came a day after the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) announced that the South West State parliamentary election process would proceed on May 18. The commission also urged politicians, candidates and sections of the media to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision regarding disputes linked to the election results.

“The Commission requests Somali citizens, political organizations, candidates and sections of the media to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Somalia, which has the authority to adjudicate disputes related to election results submitted by the Commission.” The electoral body did not explicitly state that the results had already been formally submitted to the court. It added that once it receives the court’s response, it would proceed with its remaining legal obligations, including announcing the timetable for certifying elected members and continuing the process for the election of parliamentary leadership.

The exchange nonetheless underscores increasing sensitivity around Somalia’s electoral process amid broader political tensions surrounding elections and constitutional reforms.