With the Somali government struggling to overcome a political deadlock, the Federal Electoral Implementation Team (FEIT), the country’s top entity authorised to manage the election, designated the city of Ilwaq (bordering Kenya) as an electoral centre for holding the polls for the remaining 16 seats in Jubaland region. Earlier, the election centre was kept in West Hari.
However, as per reports, stubbornness of the province and intransigence shown by those loyal to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo have prevented the smooth conduct of the electoral process.
Regional conflicts have obstructed the electoral process in the autonomous region of Jubaland in Somalia. Even as regional stakeholders have backed the Federal committee’s decision to hold the polls in the region, Farmajo and his supporters have been trying to stall the efforts in an attempt to remain in power. The administration under President Farmajo has been accused by regional and global leaders of interference in the smooth operations of elections in the country.
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Considering these factors, Jubaland leadership has also urged international election observers to ensure that the long-delayed elections are held in a free and fair manner.
On Thursday, the newly-elected parliament of Somalia was sworn in after a much-delayed voting process. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the African Union military base in the capital city of Mogadishu. After years of political instability due to months of power struggle between President Farmajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, there are new hopes for the country’s leadership to select a new president for the nation.
The ceremony saw 250 of the total 275 parliamentarians taking the oath of office along with 40 of 54 senators.
The incumbent president has ensured all possible efforts with the help of his supporters to remain in power even months after his presidency expired in February 2021. His efforts have been consistently opposed by Somali leadership under the guidance of PM Roble.
