Anti-corruption commission issues warning ahead of elections 2021
2 min read
The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission has issued a warning statement outlining its powers and role in the country’s electoral process.
The commission pledged in its statement that it will strengthen its role in ensuring transparent, fair and democratic elections in the country and that it’ll “monitor political investment and expenditure, in order to stop the misappropriation of public funds during elections.”
“The commission strongly warned against any attempts of bribery during the election, before and after the elections,” the statement said.
The committee added, “In light of the (commissions) constitutional mandate, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission is closely monitoring the actions of the election committees, delegates and candidates to prevent any kind of errors.”
The Commission also underlined that it would look into all the concerns raised by all electoral stakeholders, saying, “We are committed to investigating and taking appropriate action against those found to have abused their powers” the statement said.
The Anti-Corruption Commission warns against the abuse and misappropriation of public funds, which is a violation of “citizens’ right to equal access to government services.”
The commission’s statement also said that campaign opportunities should be equal for all candidates, including women candidates and those from ethnic minorities.
To ensure this, the commission said in a statement that observers from the commission would be tasked with overseeing polling stations across the country.
“The commission will pay special attention to the Electoral Criminal Investigation System, including administrative and criminal offenses. “The commission will also start public awareness, and we call on local, national and international stakeholders to assist us in fulfilling the Commission’s mandate,” the commission said in a statement.
The statement added, “The commission reminds all election officials – including those at the federal and state levels – that independence, impartiality and accountability are required. We remind the electoral commissions to strictly abide by the national laws and the legal framework for elections. ”
“The IACC invites members of the international community to play an important role in ensuring that the level of independent, impartial and impartial elections in Somalia is in line with international standards” the statement concluded.
