Farmajo cannot be trusted with Somalia's election, says Senate Deputy Speaker

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Senate Deputy Speaker Abshir Ahmed has yet again taken a swipe at President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who he accuses of failing the country following the ongoing contentious electoral issues in Somalia, which have threatened to disintegrate unity in the country.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo is increasingly getting pressure from members of the opposition who accuse him of failing to respect the rule of law in the appointment of the electoral committee members among other issues pertaining to elections in Somalia.

The opposition team and those critical of Farmajo's administration have gathered in Mogadishu and are set to issue a communique today after the completion of a 5-day conference in which they among others, called for the removal of NISA agents from the electoral team.

And while addressing the media, Abshir Ahmed, who also serves as a senator, accused Farmajo of violating electoral processes, adding that he "cannot be trusted". The Deputy Speaker insisted that the president had blatantly "violated" the electoral deal which he assented to in September.

The Senate leader asked Farmajo to embrace consensus for the sake of "transparency and unity" in Somalia, adding that "elections ought to be free and fair". His sentiments come after various opposition leaders also discredited the ongoing electoral process.

Various regional leaders and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo signed an electoral deal that allowed the country to adopt an improved clan-based electoral system, which would see 101 delegates elect MPs from every constituency. The team also allowed the recruitment of electoral committee members.

It's the selection of these members that continues to create a rift among stakeholders in the country. Besides NISA agents, the opposition said, other members of the committee are civil servants and loyalists of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, adding that "they will allow him to rig".

Parliamentary elections are set to start in December this year and the MPs would elect the president on February 8 in 2021. Farmajo is facing stiff opposition from among others, former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud along with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire.

GAROWE ONLINE