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The parliament overwhelmingly voted for the amendment of law number 20 on allows youth to run for the upcoming local council elections by the age of 25 years whereas before they needed to reach the age of 35 October 24, 2011.

After nineteen MPs proposed a motion submitted by SONYO Umbrella, 41 MPs that attended the parliament, 34 of them voted for the approval of the amendment of the law.

The unexpected news delighted SONYO which was struggling for the last eight years and just by hearing the news the euphoria could be felt in front of the house’s premises

The amendment of this law was a big milestone for SONYO umbrella according to t many Somaliland youth who described it as ‘historic victory’ for the benefit of Somaliland youth. Prior the approval of the law, SONYO raised a huge advocacy campaign targeting the MPs and also meeting with the president in order to get his endorsement on the law of which , thanks to his Excellency he did it.

SONYO also conducted public debates on the proposed age for the university students in order to sensitize them and as well as get remove the public misunderstanding on youth to join in to politics by the age 25 years old and to run for a public offices.

However, this victory was a beginning of a long arduous journey for the youth to get prepared from this golden opportunity and be part of the decision making bodies of Somaliland. SONYO Staff greets the MPs that voted for the law

The MPs voting for the law

After the parliament, the law was passed to the house of elders and after hug lobbying the Guurti also took the same footsteps of their next-door law making neighbor , the House of Representatives. However, SONYO is grateful to both the upper and lower house of parliament who paid back the gratitude their youth had on them when they elected them and put MPs on the law making national seats.