Somalia: International community bar some candidates from Upper House nomination

In official letters sent by the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Ambassador Michael Keating has expressed serious concerns on some candidates selected for the upcoming Upper House seats, Garowe Online reports.

The letters which sent to the state leaders of Galmudug, Puntland and Jubaland, Ambassador Keating has noted that Somalia’s International partners has barred candidates with past history in Somalia’s civil war, from participating in the electoral process and requested state leaders to remove the candidates from the list.

According to the official documents, the barred candidates were Abdi Hasan Awali “Qeybadid”, General Mohamed Saed Hirsi Morgan and Ahmed Hashi Mohamed, who are candidates competing to represent Galmudug, Puntland and Jubaland respectively in the Upper House chamber of Federal Parliament.

But on Saturday, Galmudug region held Upper House elections in Adado town and among the candidates who secured the nomination was Qeybadid, while the other candidates weren’t nominated as Puntland and Jubaland yet to carry out Upper House elections.

In one of the letters sent to Galmudug president Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Ambassador Keating stated: “On behalf of the International community, I urge you to address this troubling situation by removing Abdi Qeybdiid from the list of candidates and replacing him with a man or a women whose background and character will contribute to building a better Somalia.” 

“Somalis, as well as Somali’s International partners, want to have confidence in the institutions that will emerge from the current electoral process. Every effort should therefore be made to ensure that the process results in the designation of holders of public office who do not threaten the legitimacy and credibility of the new Government and Parliament. There should be no actual or perceived return to the days of warlordism,” read the letter.

The decision came unexpected as Qeybdiid who is also former Galmudug President has previously participated in international conferences and discussion with Somali’s International partners.

The move considered to be unprecedented by Somalia’s International partners to ban certain politicians from participating in the elections. On the other hand, analysts argued that the decision could hinder the electoral process that is scheduled to conclude in less than two months.  

However, Galmudug, Puntland and Jubaland officials haven’t released statement in regard to the request of International community to remove the candidates.

GAROWEONLINE