Ex-president condemns postponement of parliamentary session, warns against extension of FGS term

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Former Somalia President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has expressed concerns over the postponement of submissions by the National Independent Electoral Commission [NIEC] in parliament for a month, arguing that the move creates "bad precedent" in the ongoing plans to hold polls.

Both NIEC and the parliamentary ad-hoc committee had been scheduled to table reports on the further amendments on the controversial electoral law and the preferred date for elections on May 27 [today] but the sitting was called off last minute on Monday.

Senator Abshir Ahmed, who sits in the Standing Committee, said the submissions were postponed for a month, adding that the 8th session of parliament would kick off on 6th June next month, after which the changes will be discussed.

"Parliament will from 6-27 June debate and approve recommendations of Joint Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on unresolved issues in Elections Act," he said. "Parliament will also adopt amendments to the Political Parties Act in conformity with Elections Act."

"The Standing Committees of both Houses of Fed. Parliament today set June 6 for a resumption of the 8th session of Parliament. Also resolved the Chairperson of @NIECSomalia brief a joint sitting of Parliament June 27 on the schedule for elections as set out in Art.13(3) of Elections Act," he added.

But in a tweet on Tuesday, Ahmed, who served as Transitional Government leader from 2009 to 2012, insisted that the postponement was in total violation of the law and the federal constitution of Somalia.

Noting the possibility of manipulating the electoral law, Sheikh Ahmed warned against "attempts" to extend the mandate of the current administration, whose tenure ends in October this year. Elections had been tentatively set for December.

"I'm disappointed by the decision of the leadership of Somalia parliament to delay the presentation of the electoral commission by a month," he said. "This is a violation of the provisional constitution and elections law. We warn against any attempt to extend the mandate of the government."

Sheikh Ahmed and his successor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have been leading the onslaught against President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo who they accuse of harboring plans to "illegally" extend the mandate of the current administration.

But his statement was criticized by CDP Xisbiga Danwadaag leader Samiya Lerew, who insisted that the session should have been extended even for three months, adding that the current Coronavirus pandemic isn't ideal for such deliberations.

"By a month? It should be delayed for 3 months. As the leader of CDP Xisbiga Danwadaag, I have been stuck in UAE due to the COVID19 lockdown. I could not attend an important meeting in Mogadishu. I officially request a 3-months delay," she wrote.

Somalia is the worst-hit nation along the Horn of Africa by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, over 1700 people have been confirmed positive, with recoveries standing at 220 and deaths at 67 according to official records by the health department.

NIEC and the ad-hoc committee are said to have been forced to hold a meeting with Farmajo and other top government officials to finalize on the anticipated submissions. Besides the date of the elections, the country is yet to come up with a formula on the sharing of women's seats, Banadir and Somaliland representation, and the delimitation of constituencies.

Also, the proper model for the elections still remains contentious. Although the commission and international partners support the one-person-one-vote model, the opposition and certain member states want the status quo due to "limited" time before the polls.

Abdirashid Hashi, the director of Heritage Institute of Policy Studies, said in a statement last week that both parties should strike a consensus by dropping a hard stance. Somalia, he added, was not ready for universal suffrage polls, arguing that the time frame may not allow adequate preparations.

Instead, he noted, the country should embrace the Expanded model system proposed by his group as a middle ground for smooth polls. The model would expand the number of delegates participating in elections from 14,025 to 221,000 should the stakeholders adopt it.

GAROWE ONLINE