AMISOM pledges support for Somalia's upcoming elections

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The African Union Mission team in Somalia has pledged support for Somalia's upcoming elections, which are scheduled to kick off next month, the mission said, just amid ongoing political realignments in the Horn of Africa nation which has struggled to gain stability and democracy for the last three decades.

Ambassador Francisco Madeira, who is the Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM], has pledged the mission’s support to ensure that Somalia’s 2020/2021 Parliamentary and Presidential elections are secure and successful.

Speaking during an online meeting on Thursday with officials of the Somali Public Agenda [SPA], a research and public policy non-governmental organization based in Mogadishu, Ambassador Madeira said AMISOM had trained Somali Security Forces on electoral security threat management and was ready to support the electoral process.

“As part of our strategy, we will have AMISOM Formed Police Units in all areas controlled by our forces. We will support the Somali Police Force, Somali National Army, Darwish, and other security agencies,” he said.

Mahad Wasuge, who is the lead and Executive Director of Somali Public Agenda, SPA, said “the current electoral model is achievable. The difference between the old model and what we have now is the number of delegates and increase in constituencies”.

The briefing covered issues that included the agreed electoral model, limitations of the electoral design, operational and security outlook as well the protection of delegates and clan elders so they are not targeted by Al-Shabaab.

The e-meeting was organized by AMISOM Political Affairs Unit. Among others, it was attended by Lt. Gen. Diomede Ndegeya, the AMISOM Force Commander, Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Head of AMISOM, and Taiwo Babatunde, the Head of the AMISOM’s Political Affairs Unit.

Regional assemblies will start picking senators from next month who will represent various states at the national level while the electoral commission also picked from both levels of government, will oversee parliamentary polls in December, where 101 electors will pick MPs.

With AMISOM expected to give security during the polls, the country is expected to hold presidential elections in February. Already, there are claims that Villa Somalia is keen to manipulate the outcome in favor of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, a claim which his team denies.

GAROWE ONLINE