Tag: Electoral Commission

ARE FARMAJO, ROOBLE AND FAHAD YASIN STILL ENGAGED IN ELECTORAL MANIPULATION?

There are reports concerning serious meddling in the election of the chair and vice-chair of the electoral commission by Farmajo Team. Among these reports include one posted by Nairobi-based Matt Bryden, a Canadian expatriate with a long history in Somali studies and NGO business in the country. Mr Bryden, as controversial as he is anti-Farmajo regime, makes sense this time around. He states that the scheduled Somalia’s election is already rigged as the regime has already packed up the leadership of the commission with its men to predetermine the outcome of the election in favor of the incumbent. He also adds that the opposition, fearful of being marked “spoilers” by the international community, aren’t addressing this obvious interference in the independence of the electoral commission. Another reason he cites for the silence of the opposition on the issue is their reluctance to oppose prime minister Rooble, who may be working towards Farmajo’s win.

If the above reports were nearly close to the truth, there is a cloud of mistrust hanging on this election, which would make election victory by Farmajo or someone else promoted by NISA and its allies as very much a suspect.

The current position of the opposition to keep calm and standby while Farmajo-Fahad shenanigans are ongoing, would be tantamount to dereliction of duty.

WDM OP-ED: HOLDING BACK FROM THE BRINK

Now that Somalia has narrowly come back from the brink of disaster caused by the outgoing President, Farmajo, the hard job of restoring trust and faith between Federal institutions and Federal Member States begins.
Two points need to be raised here:

  1. Will Farmajo stay away from interfering in the electoral process to which he said he entrusted in the prime minister?
  2. Will Prime Minister Roble play fair in handling issues raised by Puntland and Jubaland with regards to thorny constituency issues and need for the independence of Federal Electoral Commission?

Farmajo is still the commander of the armed and security forces. It is to be seen how he would behave in keeping the forces politically neutral with regards to the electoral process.

Hawiye opposition leaders (mainly Council of Presidential Candidates, CPC) have organized militia and portion of residents of Mogadishu in their attempts to challenge Farmajo’s illegal extension of mandate in April 12, 2021. Would they scale back and demobolize these forces for political environment conducive to holding peaceful elections, or would they use this new anti-Farmajo movement for opportunistic political gains? We will know the turn of these trends in the coming weeks. But, one thing still holds true: These elections will be taugh and rocky. This is a price to pay for democracy.

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On the Political Stagnation of Puntland

The latest political announcements (press statements) by Puntland political parties and their petition to Puntland State President, the Electoral Commission and to some members of the international community under the heading: Resolving Local Municipality Elections Stalemate, issued in Garowe, March 21, 25, 2013, indicate either the non-existence of mutual dialogue or break-down of political discourse within the State on the best way forward for holding local government elections. A number of political parties including UDAD, Midnimo, PDP and Wadajir seem to have forged an association to challenge the Government on its latest reform proposals and planned changes in Voter IDs registration. Among other things, these new political parties demand the immediate delay of Municipal Elections in Puntland until adequate preparations are done to insure fair public participation and a new independent Electoral commission installed.

As a neutral person on the current disagreements, “stalemate” as they put it, I think it is not appropriate for me to comment on these specific documents and respective political statements surrounding these issues, despite repeated requests by members of the Puntland public to do so.

Discussing democratization process in Puntland State, however, gives me a great deal of pleasure. But, it is long overdue. It is unfortunate that Puntland State has not come out of age yet and still in the woods. In other words, Puntland has been heavily suffering far too long from political stagnation since its foundation in August 1998. Democratization in the State has never been in the good books of its successive leaders as it was never contemplated as political imperative or priority for the continued survival and sustainability of the regional administration against all imaginable upheavals of Somali clan politics and rocky relationships with the rest of Somalia.
It is extremely important to note here that rushing things of such importance and magnitude is not wise for it creates more problems and serious fatal errors in hasty fashion to feel and look good in the eyes of foreign donor community. The fate of the State hangs on it and nobody has the right to gamble at the expense of nation’s existence, public safety and regional political stability. It requires tremendous efforts, resources, thorough preparatory work and ample time to build political consensus and legal framework for the final implementation of the electoral process in fair and transparent manners.
They said commonly, “A thousand-step journey starts with first one”. Leaders of Puntland State (authority and opposition) task and obligation to their people is to make sure that ‘One First Step” towards democratization must be moved straight forward towards the right direction. The alternative spells danger and political suicide for all concerned.