Libya’s interim govt. declares readiness for elections despite uncertainties

The Libyan government has declared its readiness to hold the country’s presidential election as scheduled on December 24 despite uncertainty that the vote will go ahead on time.

"We are ready for the elections," Ramadan Abu Jnah announced on Sunday, putting to rest speculation over the crucial vote.

Abu Jnah is serving as interim head of the UN-recognized government of national unity (GNU) since sitting premier Abdulhamid Dbeibah announced his bid for presidency.

Libya has been beset by violence and chaos since the overthrow and killing of its long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi following a bombing campaign by the US-led NATO military alliance in 2011.

The resulting chaos and factional divisions then escalated into a regional proxy war fueled by foreign powers, who poured weapons and mercenaries into the country.

After a long spell of violence lasting more than a decade, the war-torn North African country is set for a historic democratic transition.

The election process, however, been undermined by divisions over the legal basis for the elections, their dates, and who should be allowed to run, with a string of controversial figures stepping forward.

"The government has spared no effort to support the electoral commission (HNEC). We have the chance to make December 24 a historic day," Abu Jnah said.

"Nobody should deprive Libyans of this historic deadline and we will not let anybody do so," he emphasized at a press conference in Tripoli, flanked by senior ministers.

Abu Jnah also noted that the GNU’s transitional executive was "ready to hand over power to an elected government."

Earlier, Interior Minister Khaled Mazen called for the presidential vote to be held on time, and said his ministry had "carried out its work to protect and secure voting centres" despite "obstacles".

On Saturday, the coordinator of the UN mission in Libya, Raisedon Zenenga, met with Eelections Commission cChief Emad al-Sayeh to discuss the "current state and trajectory of the electoral process," the UN mission said in a statement.

ME