Somalia’s bid to amend the constitution was delayed before the vote
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Planned vote by Somali legislators on changes to the interim constitution has been canceled at the last minute as Parliament’s four-year term expires this month.
The decision was taken after Farmajo signed a presidential decree postponing the approval of the amendment to the interim constitution after the outgoing 10th parliament could not work on it.
The service will be performed by the upcoming 11th parliament, according to a statement released by Villa Somalia on Thursday, after leaders held a meeting with the constitutional minister and committee on 23 December.
The constitutional review process has been the epicenter of the political crisis between the central government and the federal Member States for several years, leading to a lack of cooperation in the elections.
Somalia is now heading into an election season that promises to be warmed up. If not carefully controlled and the government continued to go with its stance of holding a non-inclusive election, it could throw the country into violence.
In addition, the chronic tensions in the center-periphery have been clearly exhibited in the hustle and bustle of the election preparations and threatened to make the vote a trigger for a broader crisis.
The Constitution mandates that parliamentary and presidential elections take place before November 2020 and February 2021, respectively, but delayed due to FGS ‘unwillingness to review the controversial electoral body.
Distrust has ruined Somali politics for years. The Pharmajo administration has widened divisions with its federal states over the past 3.5 years, particularly its attempts to replace federal member state leaders.
After a series of talks in Dhusamareb and Mogadishu, the FGS and FMS leaders led an indirect election agreement in September last year, after the country did not conduct one-on-one votes in 2020-21.
Under the agreement, accusing allies from different parts of the country will form electoral colleges, which in turn elect 275 seats in parliament. Parliament will then vote for the President.
On Thursday, the presidential candidate council issued a statement rejecting a new timetable unveiled by a controversial electoral team, accusing President Farmajo of trying to rig the election.
AXADLETM
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