Somalia: Senator Farole supports Int'l community's calls, criticises NLF for manipulation of the election

GAROWE, Puntland- Former Puntland President and Federal Senator, Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, has lamented the mishandling of the Somali electoral process that overshadowed by corruption, irregularities and intimidations, Garowe Online reports.

Speaking during a press conference held at his residence on Friday in the state capital of Garowe, Farole accused Somali leaders of manipulating the Somali election, while he backed a recent statement released by the international community urging National Leadership Forum to ensure credibility, transparency and fairness for the remaining electoral process. 

He said the statement was overdue but it came in a critical time.

“No one [Somali Leaders] is cleared from guilt from the corruption and malpractices exerted in the parliamentary elections, in most cases candidates either were officials or have the support from the regional states, whereas state leaders acted as campaign managers. And as we know the Somali leaders are presidential candidates themselves,” said Farole.

He also blamed the Somali leaders for the continuous delays in the election, and failing to agree on the remaining process during the ongoing conference in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

“It’s been 10 days since the Somali leaders convened the National Leadership Forum in Mogadishu, and the country is facing tensions and severe droughts. 10 days with no outcomes from the meetings in Mogadishu, people who elected those leaders should ask themselves in what they are absent. I heard they [Somali leaders] agreed on one issue, is to dismiss the nullified seats cases, which allow each state leader to either assist candidates from the Federal government or support his presidential campaign if he is a candidate,” said Farole.   

He stated that corruption and stalemate in the electoral process could create a favorable environment for the terrorist groups to proliferate and take advantage from the political disunity in the country.

Tension in Galkayo

Presidential candidate Farole, has also gave remarks on the situation in Puntland region and particularly the recent tensions in Galkayo city.

He criticized the blockage imposed on trades and movement between southern Somalia and Puntland, and accused officials from Puntland government behind the ban, and described them as “war instigators”.

“Puntland had administration for 18 years and since 1992, trade between regions in Somalia was accessible and now is stopped, because several officials from Puntland government who became war instigators. Since 2015, fighting continued in Galkayo over construction of a road, which could have been resolved by district officials or elders, but the fighting caused unnecessary bloodshed that almost led to civil war and suspended trades between regions,” said Farole.

He stated the region is witnessing economical downfall, worsening security situation in both Galkayo and Bossaso, whereas militant groups are regrouping in the region amid the absence of the state leaders.

Senator Farole expressed worries towards the course of the political transition in the country if concrete actions haven’t taken to ensure fairness and credibility of the election, which could result in another civil war and chaos.

He also urged the international community to hold further deliberation on the Somali election with the United Nations Security Council, and noted that him and opposition presidential candidates are in talks over the manipulated electoral process that could see them jointly boycott the election process.

GAROWEONLINE