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On Thursday, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and the leaders of the five semi-autonomous regions signed an agreement to hold “free and fair” elections. They were to be held between December 2020 and February 2021, but the differences between the various parties delayed them and threw Somalia into a political crisis.
as reported from Nairobi, Albane Thirouard
In mid-April, President Mohamed Farmajo’s mandate, which expired on February 8, triggered violent clashes in the capital. May begins, the president had finally given updelegates the electoral process to its Prime Minister. The latter then led to closed-door discussions, which began on 22 May, leading to the agreement signed on Thursday 27 May.
Through this agreement, it is a roadmap for the organization of the elections presented by the Somali authorities. The first step is to complete the Nomination Committee’s constitution by Sunday.
Thereafter, the election must be held within 60 days according to an agenda that the Nomination Committee has specified later. The vote will take place according to an indirect electoral system in which special delegates, elected by the clans, vote for the parliamentarians. Parliamentarians who then elect the president. Under the agreement, each semi-autonomous region will designate two sites to hold these elections.
The Somali Prime Minister also demanded that a quota of 30% of women elected to parliament be respected.
The agreement was greeted with relief and applauded by both the opposition and the international community, as tensions in recent months had raised fears of an escalation of violence.
Among others, the African Union, the United Nations and the European Union have said they are ready to help Somalia “implement this historic agreement.” President Farmajo thanked his prime minister and praised his leadership role in the negotiations.
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