(2 minutes read)
· Somalia’s deadline to pick a new president on Monday may end up in a limbo after negotiations between the central government and federal states collapsed
· Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, is seeking another term and said two of the five semi-autonomous regions Puntland and Jubbaland, have failed to comply with holding the election as they do not want to hold an election yet
· Jubaland’s leader, Ahmed Madobe, said that the responsibility for the failure to hold timely and consensus-based elections lies solely on President Farmajo
Political uncertainty may envelop Somalia. The country’s deadline to pick a new president on Monday may end up in a limbo after negotiations between the central government and federal states collapsed. Importantly, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, is seeking another term. He said that two of the five semi-autonomous regions, Puntland and Jubbaland, have failed to comply with holding the election as they do not want to hold an election yet.
In the meantime, National and regional forces clashed in Jubbaland as President Mohamed’s forces have been battling their regional counterparts for control in Gedo. Jubaland’s leader Ahmed Madobe, said that the responsibility for the failure to hold timely and consensus-based elections lies solely on President Farmajo.
Somalia was to hold a direct election, rather than an indirect one where elders pick lawmakers who select a president. But delays in preparations and daily attacks by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents prevented that. Somalia has been trying to rebuild peace in the country with the help of the United Nations.
