Somalia — Lawmakers in Somalia's Puntland parliament have agreed that the new parliament will be selected by their respective clan elders during a Wednesday vote, Garowe Online reports.

Parliament's legal affairs subcommittee submitted a bill ending the mandate of the current parliament in October 2013 and paving the way for the traditional clan-based system where Puntland's titled clan elders nominate new parliamentarians to the 66-seat House of Representatives.

Some 44 MPs present debated the new bill and the MPs voted unanimously to approve the bill paving the way for a new Puntland parliament. The current parliament was established in December 2009 and its five-year mandate expires later 2013.

Puntland Parliament Speaker Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi said: "No parliamentarian voted against new bill regarding the selection process for new parliament and no MP abstained. Henceforth, Puntland's traditional elders should nominate the new members of parliament," Speaker Hersi said.

Parliament's vote comes following Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole's July 14 decision, postponing the first-ever Local Council elections in a competition among four political associations. Puntland officials say the elections were suspended due to threats to peace and stability.

Puntland's government says the democratization process towards multiparty elections will continue "at an appropriate time" and the government plans to establish a new parliament that in turns elects a new president in January 2014.

GAROWE ONLINE