Following the failure of the election negotiations and the two-year extension of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s mandate, Farmajo says, the opposition is raising the tone.
The presidential candidate coalition has called on its supporters to reject what they call a “threat to peace and stability” and to challenge President Farmajo. The 14 presidential candidates have all suspended their election campaigns in retaliation for extension of the Head of State’s mandate, which sparked an international outcry this week.
Abdirahman Abdishakur, leader of the opposition Wadajir party, promises to keep the pressure on Farmajo. “We will fight against the implementation of this illegal extension of the president’s mandate. Therefore, all presidential candidates, myself included, have suspended our campaigns.”
Opponents call on their supporters to “block the president” and warn: “We will use all means of civil disobedience to get around this decision.” He also calls on the business community to mobilize by “stopping paying their taxes” and calls for “demonstrations and general strikes”. “It’s the president’s fault, because he’s playing the warlord,” said Abdirahman Abdishakur.
“Farmajo does not want it to be an election. From the beginning, he had planned to extend his term. In response, several leading Somali officers left their ranks. Some of them threatened to take over the port and airport, several ministers resigned. ”
The opponent is determined: “The regime is in bad shape and we will put pressure on it until Farmajo accepts the election conditions.”
