Galmudug Salvation Forum held a meeting in Mogadishu 10 of June 2016. The meeting, was attended by; members of Galmudug Parliament, politicians, clan elders, members of federal parliament, intellectuals and presidential candidates from Galmudug

The Forum is dismayed by the decision of Galmudug President to appoint known partisans to the State Independent Electoral Committee of Galmudug (SIET). The nomination of partisans to the SIET is a profound indication of President Abdikarim Guled’s intention to deny the people of Galmudug their inherent right for a free and fair elections, as enshrined in both the federal and state constitutions.

Unlike most federal states, Galmudug was formed with the consent and participation of the diverse clans and political groups in the area. Political consensus among the various groups and clans is vital for a peaceful and stable Galmudug. President Guled has repeatedly vowed to respect the political and clan diversity of Galmudug. But the nomination of a very partisan SIET is an alarming sign of an intention to appropriate the elections for partisan purposes. This action further solidifies the allegation that Galmudug has become a tool for Villa Somalia.

The nomination of SIET must be amended immediately to reflect the broad diversity of the Galmudug electorate. Failure to do so would, sadly, lead to a political conflict in Galmudug. As the newest federal member state, Galmudug won’t be able to withstand the sheer jolt of the political conflict emanating from the nomination of partisans to the SIET. Already, Galmudug faces multiple security and political challenges. Much of its territory is under the control of Al Shabaab, and a significant portion is under the control of AhluSunna Wal-Jama’ah. Pirates also remain active with dozens of hostages, and clan conflicts are commonplace.

We call upon the Federal Government, Federal Parliament, Galmudug Parliament and the international community to urgently intervene to avoid further deterioration of the political environment in Galmudug.