EDITORIAL | On Thursday evening, August 20, many Somalis were aware of an election model in which constituency committees will be used instead of accusing allies to elect the next parliament.
According to the document released last night, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and federal state presidents in Hirshabelle, Southwest and Galmudug as well as the mayor of Mogadishu; agreed that each Member of Parliament be elected by 301 delegates, and the Members of Parliament then elect the President.
In short, Somalia has accepted the reality that universal suffrage was a mirage this time. In addition, this agreement can only be implemented if the House of Commons approves it.
Yet the agreement itself and the way it was drafted left questions as to whether it had been predetermined. This platform has never failed to ask for a timely agreement on the election model. In fact, we previously asked all stakeholders to attend the Dhusamareb meetings.
In the wake of last night, however, this platform would like to highlight important concerns as to whether this agreement was an external creation. First, the communication declaring the deal dates back to a day earlier, August 19th. Why was an appointment announced Thursday dated Wednesday?
But on Wednesday, leaders still hoped Jubbaland and Puntland would be represented. These two federal states had raised important concerns, which, however, were ignored. They both claimed that Villa Somalia had ignored previous Dhusamareb agreements and rumbled.
A prime minister was deposed in parliament without the agenda being on the order paper and a move properly put on the floor of the house as is the tradition. It was illegality they traveled. Illegality was ignored.
There was more: Prior to the announcement shortly before midnight, the US Embassy in Somalia had labeled those absent from the talks as ‘spoilers’.
In a tweet, the mission said “The US Embassy in Somalia has worked to include all views at the table in Dhusamareb3, but cannot help those absent.
“Spoilers who withhold participation sacrifice democracy for their own ambitions. The parties must proceed with the timely model agreement. ”
Everyone had hoped that all stakeholders would participate. But when those who had been part of the initial meetings choose to boycott, it is wisest not to label them, enemies. The best thing would be to listen to them.
On Wednesday, August 19, Somalia’s international partners, including the United States, issued a joint statement stressing that the participation of all leaders in the Dhusamareb III summit is crucial to maintaining the unification process and producing a broad agreement on modalities for the 2020 federal election. 21, which satisfies all Somali stakeholders.
In addition, the partners emphasized that any attempt by a single stakeholder or a few stakeholders to introduce election methods is lacking. legitimacy and will not be implementable without significant support from all other stakeholders.
In Dhusamareb III there was no listening and we are afraid to say there was bulldozing. The US Embassy may in fact have contradicted its country’s position on the UN. In a speech at the UN Security Council earlier on Thursday, Acting US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Cherith Norman Chalet said: “Somalia is sitting between a moment of profound opportunities.” She added that only Somalis will save their country.
“Elections must be secure, timely, practical, implementable and built on broad-based consensus in a Somali-owned and Somalia-led process.”
Therefore, we ask if an agreement reached with half of the team can be implemented by the whole team. This platform does not support mere rebellion and we are on the record for encouraging stakeholders to choose what is for Somalis.
Yet there is a terrible touch of personal interests written all over Dhusamareb III. First, President Farmaajo surrendered his demand for a one-man vote. But he secured his political assurance by ensuring that the House of Commons has one last word.
Axadlehas learned that the President knows that MPs will pass the election date, allowing for an extension of his and their term. In return, the president will have ensured that his nomination for prime minister is secured.
The Dhusamareb agreement is therefore a quid-pro-quo between the president and the members of parliament in the lower house. Previously supported an expansion of the term if they established, but which was opposed by the Senate, the political parties and some federal states, Dhusamareb III became the back door.
On this account, the US Embassy in Somalia may be able to look back on its description of spoilers. Is it those who participated with a predetermined deal, or those who skipped a choreographed affair.
History will always judge fairly those who choose their country over personal interest. We hope the verdict comes sooner in this Somali election failure.
AXADLETM
