The Somali Federal Parliament voting on a motion to return to 17 September electoral model today.
Mogadishu (PP News Desk) The Federal Parliament of Somalia has endorsed a return to 17 September electoral model several weeks after the legislature adopted a controversial decision to extend the mandate of the federal institutions.
Before MPs voted on the motion, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed had delivered a speech outlining the significance of the concession made to hold transparent and inclusive elections.
Mohamed Mursal, the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, commended MPs for unanimously voting in favour of the 17 September electoral model.
“I thank the Parliament for endorsing the electoral model” said President Mohamed, who tasked Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble with security and organisation of elections.
GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The U.S has called for the annulment of the April 12 unilateral Lower House resolution as a first step towards a return to negotiations for elections.
While welcoming the announcement by outgoing president Mohamed Farmaajo to vacate his stance on the illegal two-year extension, the U.S State Department said both Farmaajo and the Lower House must first void the resolution.
“We call on the President and Parliament to act swiftly to annul the April 12 mandate extension bill,” a statement by the State Department spokesperson Ned Price read in part.
The U.S also called for an immediate return to talks premised on the September 2020 Agreement without conditions.
Washington (SD) – The United States has welcomed and encouraged President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s pledge on April 28 to return to the September 17, 2020 election agreement and resume talks with the leaders of the Federal Member States as soon as possible.
A statement from the State Department said “The United States notes President Farmaajo’s April 28 commitment to return to the September 17 election agreement and resume talks immediately with Federal Member State leaders. We call on the President and Parliament to act swiftly to annul the April 12 mandate extension bill.”
The United States welcomed and commended Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and the leaders of HirShabelle and Galmudug administrations for their opposing to the extension.
By Yahye S. Bulqaas
Mogadishu (Commentary) For far too long the 4.5 power-sharing system has retained an explanatory appeal for political analysts preoccupied with making sense of the Somali political turmoil. Unveiled in 2000 at Djibouti-sponsored Somali Reconciliation Confrence, the power-sharing formula divides Somalis into four major clans and an alliance of clans known as
Others.
Since 1960 the presidency has rotated between two clans Darod and Hawiye. Professor Ahmed Ismail Samatar described this uncodified arrangement as duopoly. This theory works if one pays attention to clan identities of Somalia’s successive presidents. It loses its analytical power if one concentrates on the nature of election outcomes since 2004. Neither the incumbent President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed nor his predecessor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was a favourite candidate in 2017 and 2012 respectively.
Somalia: UN condemns violence, warns against escalation of fighting
The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) issued a statement on Tuesday, alongside international partners, strongly condemning an outbreak of violence in the capital Mogadishu and urging all sides to “exercise maximum restraint, resume dialogue, and avoid unilateral actions that may lead to a further escalation”.
NEW YORK, USA, April 28, 2021,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-According to media reports, fighting began on Sunday between pro-Government forces and opposition military units after President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed moved to extend his term last week, which had officially ended in February, for another two years.