Somalia’s Independent Electoral Disputes Resolution Mechanism (IEDRM), the body mandated to address complaints arising from the country’s ongoing electoral process, has already received 1,219 complaints, its head announced today.

Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Mogadishu, IEDRM Chairperson Abdirizak Barre Jama said that all the complaints filed were being assessed and that the body would soon rule on the way forward. However, he also noted that some disputes were outside their jurisdiction.

“We have received 1,219 disputes between 10 and 26 October 2016. Obviously, this is too much and not all of them fall within our mandate. Our mandate is only to deal with electoral disputes. We have no mandate over clan disputes”, Mr Jama told journalists.

He said IEDRM members had been divided into seven teams, each of which would be assigned to address complaints from a specific federal member state.

Mr Jama stressed the body’s readiness to resolve all disputes arising from the ongoing Upper and Lower House electoral processes.

Each dispute would be assessed on the basis of stringent criteria. According to IEDRM rules, only registered candidates can file a complaint, and they must pay a non-refundable fee of $1,000 before the IEDRM will review their case.

“The place where decisions will be made will be open to media, international observers, federal and regional government officials and of course the candidates involved in the dispute,” said the IEDRM chairperson.

Established by the National Leadership Forum on 6 October 2016, the IEDRM includes former ministers, member of parliament, generals, medical doctors and lawyers who are respected and influential in the Somali community, according to Mr. Jama.