Somalia: Farmaajo accused of trying to get PM out of the election process

Farmajo [L] and PM Roble [R] greeting during a ceremony to announce May 27 election deal [Photo: OPM].

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The interim Electoral Committee for Somaliland on Sunday released procedures for the Senate elections after weeks of political tussles between the outgoing Senate Speaker Abdi Hashi and Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Gulaid.

Both teams have been wrestling over the control of the electoral exercise in Somaliland, almost delaying the elections exercise which is supposed to be concluded in the Horn of Africa nation. Gulaid and Hashi are the senior-most Somaliland leaders in the federal government.

Article three of the procedure indicates that Upper House Speaker Abdi Hashi and Deputy PM Mahdi Gulaid will jointly submit the names of the candidates. The names are then sent to be vetted before approval.

However, moments after the release, Somali PM Mohamed Hussein Roble protested against the recently released Somaliland senate members election procedure, article two has been amended. It's this unexpected amendment that evoked a response from OPM.

"Abdi Hashi and Mahdi will release the names of the candidates and submit them to OPM for PM Mohamed Roble for further assurance," reads the article, which is specifically meant to end wrangles between the two parties in the federal government.

This amendment demonstrates Roble's efforts in resolving the disputes among the warring Somaliland politicians over the electoral committee and election process. For the last four months, the two parties have been embroiled in a bitter tussle over the control of Somaliland's electoral process.

Experts believe Farmaajo is now trying to oust Roble from the election administration after he recently announced he suspended the PM's powers amid a standoff. 

Elsewhere across the country, most states have kick-started their senatorial elections. As of Sunday, at least 36 new senators had been elected by various regional assemblies, indicating that only 18 senators are yet to be elected to the federal Senate.

Although Somaliland is given a special place in the federal setup, the region runs a parallel government that operates in Hargeisa. The region purports to have cut links with Mogadishu and is currently pushing for recognition.

GAROWE ONLINE