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Somalia’s president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, has extended his stay in office for two years. His four-year term expired after the country postponed its presidential and parliamentary elections – which were scheduled for February 8, 2021 – indefinitely. The Conversation Africa spoke to risk and security specialist Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Shire, who analyses the developments and explains their impact on peace and security in Somalia.
What are the political implications of this decision?
First, President Mohamed’s term extension has undoubtedly deepened divisions between the federal government and the states. Despite agreeing to an indirect election, the federal government is gunning for universal suffrage.
Somalia’s long-running political crisis has entered a new, dangerous phase. In a hastily convened session on 12 April, members of parliament overwhelmingly endorsed a bill that would delay elections by two years, in effect extending the term in office of President Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo”. The move is an alarming escalation of a dispute that could well spiral into widespread violence unless Somalia’s political elites return to the negotiating table. The opposition is said to be considering forming a parallel government; cracks have deepened in a security apparatus long divided along clan lines; and the president’s opponents have vowed to resist extension of his rule. But even though the hour is late, it is not too late for the parties to reverse course. Somalia’s external partners, led by the African Union (AU) and backed by the U.S., the UN Security Council and the European Union, should step in to organise – and lead – fresh talks among all stakeholders to craft
Leadership: Extending the term of president Farmajo is a blessing to Somalia
By Onyango ochieng jnr via FB
I welcome the decision by Somalia National Assembly (Lower House) to extend the term of President Farmajo by two years so as to enable the National Independent Electoral Commission(NIEC) organise a PROPER election based on “ONE-MAN-ONE-VOTE” system as opposed to the current archaic clan-based GERONTOCRACY.
This is why, I am surprised by the wave of critics against this wondeful move by Parliament.
These critics don’t understand- unwittingly -the beauty/benefits of universal suffrage. Where every man/woman in the land is ENTITLED to a vote, and that vote COUNTS!