Int’l Community hails decree on Somalia poll despite criticism

MOGADISHU, Somalia-International Community Members hailed decree power on 2016 Election Proposal as a decisive move in the right direction and a key step to enhanced technical preparations despite criticism from sidestepped members of parliament, Garowe Online reports. 

In joint press statement, the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union (EU), Ethiopia, Italy, 

Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States welcomed the presidential move on the parliamentary conundrum.  

They noted that the decree will enable the technical preparation and implementation of the electoral process without further delay.

Nevertheless, the diplomats covering Somalia expressed their erstwhile interest in parliamentary approval about the election modality passed by decree without vote in parliament. Somali lawmakers have posed visible opposition to the model in what would have been touted as troubling setback if it had come into effect.  

“We all would have preferred a different scenario for the endorsement of the model. But intense engagement among politicians, especially in the last few weeks, made it evident that the Federal Parliament would have had great difficulty in agreeing on and legalizing the model,” UN envoy to Somalia Ambassador Michael Keating  has unveiled.  

Meanwhile, international community stressed that political progress is critical to the millions of Somalis who want stability and greater accountability. 

--‘Treason’- 

Federal Member of Parliament and former ally-turned-vocal opponent Abdullahi Godah Bare claimed that Somali President risks to be sacked for acts of treason.   

Bare called the presidential decree ‘unconstitutional’, threatening that parliament may vote him out of office.  

On Saturday, Garowe Online learned that President Mohamud was planning to dissolve parliament ahead of upcoming parliamentary and presidential election and selection processes. 

By Thursday, diplomats from United Nations Security Council (UNSC)’s 15-member States urged swift endorsement of national blueprint for 2016 polls. 

  Somalia Federal Government introduced national election model that drew swift support from western donors for long baffled by slower pace of the country’s transition from clan-based power sharing formula in January.       

Incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is seeking second term in office under a model, UN envoycalled “a midway point between the election of 2012, when only 135 electors selected 275 Members of Parliament and 2020, when all Somalis will have a say.”      

Somalia held first-ever presidential election on its own since the state collapse, in September 2012.

GAROWEONLINE