Somalia: Farmaajo warns election deal amendment ahead of key talks

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The outgoing Somali President Farmaajo warned against changing the September 17 agreement ahead of the Dec 27 election talks in Mogadishu between PM Roble and leaders of the Federal States in the country.

Speaking at the 78th anniversary of the formation of the Somali Police Force at General Kahiye police academy on Saturday, Farmaajo called for the implementation of the elections based on the deal reached between the Federal Government and the Federal States last year.

Farmaajo whose tenure ended said there was a need to expedite the election of members of the lower house, and called on the prime minister and electoral commissions to conduct free and fair polls.

The remarks by Farmaajo coincide with a sharp rift among the federal and state election commissions that led to the dismissal of FEIT chair Mohamed Hassan Irro on Saturday over allegations of incompetence and violation of neutrality.

Opposition politicians have accused Farmajo of being behind the endless election delays and amid reports that the outgoing president is at loggerheads again with PM Roble that is crippling the election.

Farmajo handed over the election management to Roble in May this year after failing to extend his mandate by two more years, a move that put the country at risk of sliding back into a civil war in April.

The leader has been in office illegally for nearly a year and the opposition is warning against further delay in the electoral process, which has been dragging since early 2021 due to recurrent political disputes.

GAROWE ONLINE