Somalia: Electoral Body Releases Criteria for Presidential Candidates

Mogadishu, Somalia — The electoral commission announced the criteria for candidates running for president of Somalia, Garowe Online reports.

Spokesman for the electoral commission Osman Libah Ibrahim held a press conference in Mogadishu on Saturday explaining the criteria for candidates running for president.

The ten point criteria included that the candidate must pay a $10,000 registration fee before running for elections.

The candidate must be a Muslim and age must be 40 or over and not have a criminal background.

Another condition for candidates written in the newly approved constitution and reiterated by Mr. Ibrahim was that every candidate must have at least 20 supporters in parliament before running for president.

The issue of a complete parliament is still in debate as the Technical Selection Committee (TSC) has rejected candidates for parliament while they look for other means of being instated.

Backed by Sharif Sheikh Ahmed some of the rejected candidates went to the Supreme Court to get the TSC ruling reversed.

Aydid Ilka Hanaf Judge of Mogadishu's Supreme Court ruled that the rejected candidates were patriotic Somalis who were falsely judged by the TSC and reversed the TSC's ruling.

However if Judge Ilka Hanaf's ruling will be acceded by the TSC is still in question.

The new Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari was reportedly requested by the international community to resolve the issue of parliament as quickly as possible.

Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas are some of the more prominent candidates that are running for president.

The Somali presidential elections are slated for September 10th and would officially put an end to the 8 year transitional government.