Somalia picks Dispute Resolution Committee leaders

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Federal Government of Somalia has picked members of the Dispute Resolution team which will be tasked to handle differences that will emerge from the much-anticipated elections although both parties are yet to solve several pre-election concerns. 

On Monday, Abdullahi Abyan Nur elected as the new chair of the Dispute Resolution Committee, which is integral in the upcoming elections, which were after all set to commence on December 1, 2020, but which have been delayed due to differences between the government and the opposition. 

Abdullahi becomes the second key leader of an election organ after Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble also oversaw the election of the Electoral Committee chair and top leaders, who will be conducting elections in the Horn of Africa nation in the coming days.

Mohamed Ibrahim Barre becomes his deputy and his responsibility will be coordinating the team along with the new chairman. The two are tasked to handle issues that may arise both in parliamentary and presidential elections which are supposed to end by February next year.

However, the team may have to wait for a little longer since the opposition opposed membership of the Electoral Committee and Dispute Resolution Committee team, arguing that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo picked his associates and NISA agents. 

But Farmajo still insists that elections must be held as planned, arguing that Jubaland and Puntland should stick to the September pre-election deal. The two states along with the opposition have accused Farmajo of failing to honor the deal as well, citing the continued stay of the Somali National Army in Gedo. 

During the Somali Partnership Forum on Monday, the country's leadership was challenged by the international partners to hold elections as agreed but the need for consensus was emphasized. The European Union and the US are among the partners who called for dialogue over the stalemate. 

Farmajo is facing stiff opposition from former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud along with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire. There are a total of 14 presidential candidates from the opposition who are likely to team up against the incumbent. 

GAROWE ONLINE