Showdown in Somalia as bigwigs battle for parliamentary seats

MOGADISHU, Somalia - With over 46 percent of Lower House seats having been filled, Somalia will seek to beat February 25 deadline on Monday [today] as two states hold crucial polls which will see bigwigs run for the much-coveted seats in the country.

The country is yet to fill the 275-member Lower House which is fundamental for legislation and oversight, but the delayed elections continue to attract international attention following rigging claims and internal squabbles.

Wadajir Party leader and long-time opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame will be battling for the HoP138 seat having been cleared on Sunday by the electoral team [SEIT] after days of accusations and counter-accusations.

Before his clearance, the presidential candidate cried foul that Villa Somalia was keen to block his candidature having tried to zone the seat for the fulfillment of 30 percent gender quota representation. The state, sources said, wanted the seat to be filled by a woman.

Behind the plot, sources said, is Abdullahi Kulane alias Jiis, a senior official within the National Intelligence and Security Agency [NISA], where he has also been serving as Deputy to former director Fahad Yasin, a Villa Somalia bureaucrat.

As he arrived in Dhusamareb, the regional administrative capital of Galmadug, Warsame exuded confidence that he will win the Monday polls. He thanked the area people for welcoming him upon his arrival.

"My sincere gratitude to Galmudug people, members of the federal and regional parliament, the district administration officials, members of civil societies, and traditional elders for the warm and wonderful reception they accorded me," he noted.

The second contest in Galmadug will be HoP40 where Abdullahi Kulane has also declared an interest. The Villa Somalia bureaucrat has also been tipped to win due to his closeness to the state and electoral agents in the region.

Last year, Kulane Jiis was linked to Ikran Tahlil's assassination and other abuses of power. Prior to this, a number of opposition candidates had protested his clearance, arguing that his presence in politics is damage to the state-building process in Somalia.

Former NISA boss Fahad Yasin is also running for HoP86 in Hirshabelle with the electoral body having cleared several candidates to run for 13 seats. His victory could further reignite tough political contests in the country.

GAROWE ONLINE