Somalia: MPs warn Govt against interference in Southwest election

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somali lawmakers have warned the country's Federal Government against interfering in the upcoming Southwest state presidential election, Garowe Online reports.

Speaking to VOA Somali Service, Hanifa Mohamed Ibrahim who was among members of the two Houses of the Parliament held a press conference in Mogadishu on Sunday blamed Villa Somalia for direct interference in the next month's election in Southwest regional state.

Ibrahim added that the central government in Mogadishu is backing particular candidates and funding their campaign using the public funds, to try to influence the election slated for Nov. 17, with the aim to defeat the incumbent president who is at loggerheads with Villa Somalia.

The legislators warned of acute interference risk, impact on security, economic and could lead to a political crisis in the Federal Member State, which has been under the threat from al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group for years.

"We have evidence that the central government meddling in Southwest state politics and dispatched pro-candidates with millions of US dollars of public funds and bulletproof cars, along with soldiers protecting them to Baidoa city ahead of the next month election," said Ibrahim.

There was no immediate comment from the Somali government, in response to the 'grave allegations' made the MPs.

Several candidates, including Somalia's current Minister of Energy and Water, Abdulaziz Hassan [Lafta-Gareen] and former Al-Shabab deputy leader, Mukhtar Robow are vying for the state presidency.

The alleged government-backed aspirants will challenge former Somali parliament speaker and incumbent regional president Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, a prominent and powerful politician who has been in power since 2014.

GAROWE ONLINE