Somalia: President Farmajo Mocks Opposition Leaders Who Protested Against Biased Electoral Committees

The Speaker of the Upper House of the federal parliament, the presidents of the federal member states, the prominent leaders of the political opposition groups and the civil society organizations, and the public in general strongly objected the legitimacy and impartiality of the two Federal Election Committees (one for southern states and one for the representatives of the Somaliland state) and of the Electoral Dispute Resolution Committee appointed by the Prime Minister Mohamed H Roble under the directive of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. The committees guide and supervise the implementation of the Indirect Election Model and adjudicate election disputes as well in accordance with the political agreement between the presidents of the Federal Government and Federal Member States dated September 17, 2020 and with the rules and procedures assuring free and fair elections. The elections of the 329 members of the federal parliament was supposed to take place before the end of November 2020, but as of today, they are up in the air....

Somalia: Power of FMS leaders a stain on electoral system

FMS presidents can deny anyone they dislike the right to run for a Senate seat. Even if a candidate meets all the guidelines of the political agreement (and is prepared to put up 20,000 US dollars), a simple stroke of an FMS president's pen can keep them from running As in 2016, FMS presidents wield excessive power, especially in the Upper House elections. For example, FMS presidents can deny anyone they dislike the right to run for a Senate seat. Even if a candidate meets all the guidelines of the political agreement (and is prepared to put up 20,000 US dollars), a simple stroke of an FMS president's pen can keep them from running. This outrageous practice violates the provisional constitution's protection of a citizen's right to run for office. It is a major stain on our electoral system....

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed resists calls for peace talks amid Tigray conflict

Ethiopia's leader has resisted pressure from foreign leaders to begin peace talks, amid a war in the country's north that has spilled into neighbouring Eritrea....

Somalia's intelligence chief worked with an al Qaeda affiliate

Somalia has become a money pit for the United States. In recent years, the U.S. government has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars annually into the country. Just one month ago, Ambassador Donald Yamamoto and Somali Minister of Finance Abdirahman Duale Beile signed a deal to reduce Somalia's U.S. debt. "When Somalia reaches the final stage … the United States will have forgiven more than $1 billion in debt," the embassy reported. Generous debt relief is just the tip of the iceberg, as Yamamoto, who crafted Somalia strategy as an assistant secretary prior to his current post, appears to believe that channeling money through Mogadishu can enable the Somali government to buy friends and allies....

Somalia Electoral process: a vicious cycle marred by corruption,lack of oversight

There are myriad other problems with the implementation of the electoral process, for example the proposed fee structure for candidates for both houses of parliament. Candidates for the Upper House (Senate) are required to pay a whopping 20,000 US dollars to compete for a seat, while candidates Candidates for for the Lower House are required to pay 10,000 US dollars. Although this financial prerequisite has the Upper House been justified based on the need to raise domestic funds for election operations, the unintended (Senate) are consequences are clear: only the wealthiest Somalis (and the politicians they sponsor) are eligible to required to pay a seek elected office. This price tag, possibly the most expensive in the world, also directly encourages whopping 20,000 the proliferation of corruption. Most candidates for the 329-member bicameral parliament are simply US dollars to unable to come up with these funds on their own, and are forced to find political sponsors who will compete for a seat, expect the candidates to serve their interests in exchange for financial support. Somalia's political while candidates barons have effectively created a food chain in which they have sole control over both the supply and for the Lower demand....