Opposition candidates call for Somalia Election Commission to be disbanded

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The much-anticipated elections in Somalia have yet again been dealt with a blow following the latest communique that was issued by 14 opposition presidential candidates, with just over two weeks before official elections kick off in the country.

For the last five days, opposition bigwigs have been holed up in a hotel in Mogadishu, where they discussed a host of issues with a number of them relating to elections amid a row over the electoral commission appointed by PM Mohamed Hussein Roble.

The communique could further pile pressure on President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who is seeking re-election in February 2021, facing competition from rival candidates, including former president and his long-time PM Hassan Ali Khaire.

Before issuing the communication, the team had picked former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to be the chairman, in a move seen as a brewing coalition that could lead to fielding one presidential candidate in the elections that are scheduled for February 8.

And the team now wants spy chief Fahad Yasin to resign from his current position, accusing him of acting as the "campaign manager" of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. It is not the first time the opposition is calling for the exit of Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist and a close ally of Qatar.

The team insists that the spy chief has implanted several spies in the electoral committee team, which they now want to be disbanded. According to them, the team, which also compromises of civil servants and loyalists of the president, are keen to rig the elections in favor of Farmajo.

Also, the team has called for the withdrawal of government administrators in Gedo besides ensuring the Somali National Army also leaves the region. For months now, the president has been wrestling for the control of Gedo, a region that falls under Jubaland state.

Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe had also called for the withdrawal of the SNA troops from Gedo as a compromise for elections to take place before he signed the September deal. Madobe has been a critic of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who he accuses of plotting to kick him out.

The federal government of Somalia and the National Intelligence Security Agency chief Fahad Yasin are yet to respond to the communication. Even with the rebellion, the international community has been pushing for consensus ahead of polls, arguing that "dialogue will solve the stalemate".

Also, the candidates have thrown their weight behind Senate Speaker Abdi Hashi, insisting that he has the legitimacy to pick the electoral committee from Somaliland which would oversee elections for the northern breakaway region, which is also mandated to pick representatives in Mogadishu.

Recently, Hashi picked a parallel team which he insisted will oversee the elections. However, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had picked another team, which Hashi termed "illegal and unconstitutional", adding that Villa Somalia had no mandate to pick the team.

In addition, they have threatened to hold parallel elections if the Federal Government of Somalia goes ahead with the process for unilateral polls conducted by electoral commissions at the Federal and State levels packed with NISA agents, civil servants, and Farmajo cronies. 

GAROWE ONLINE