What will happen if agreed election does not held on 8 February 2021

[Deeq A.]

Ahmed Abdullahi Isse

As Somalia inches towards the scheduled date to hold general elections on 8 February, the country’s political leaders failed to have fully agreed on the electoral process, although there have been some election agreements made in September, 2020 but preparation have been slow and controversial from both the federal level and FMSs due to some demanding issues to be resolved.

President Farmaajo with his hand-picked state presidents of Galmudug, Hirshabele, and Koonfur Galbeed, Banadir, are one side while presidents of Puntland and jubaland with other former political leaders of the country are in the other side, opposing the interest of what they called clear re-election process by the president Farmaajo.

Somali’s historic election process is always controversial marred by poor credibility and unfairness and it is not the first time that a president in the office is accused of wrongdoings in election process, the extra-constitutional actions in this period is hallmark of bad leadership of Somali politicians who can’t compromise for the interest of public rather than seeking for term re-election.

What are the key demanding issues in the current Somalia’s electoral process?

As agreed, on 17 September 2020 in Mogadishu, the federal government should allow the Jubaland state to govern and manage their elections freely, which means the deployed troops in Gedo region should be evacuated ASAP prior polling date on 8-february.

Both sides should remove civil servant members in the electoral committees including government officials, who was supposed to be neutral as way of enhancing transparency, trust, and credibility of the electoral committees. 

The sides should stop hostile languages in the media to reduce tensions and show some sense of maturity and compromise, Somali people are at risk of livelihood crises, affected by Covid-19 coupled with desert locust and belonging drought which however threating the life of the people and they don’t need political confrontations at this time but compromise for the interest of their life betterment. 

However, historically, the international community often helps Somalis to go through these trying election period, which forces sometimes the sides to reach final agreement ending the minor differences in the election process and held inclusive, transparency, credible elections on the stipulated timeframe agreed.

What will happen if agreed election does not held on 8 February

if the sides don’t reach a consensus in the election and does not held on 8 February, International community/partners will impose pressure and intervenes Somalia domestic politics and possibly will form an extraordinary council, consisting of all political stakeholders under clear roadmap of conducting elections, will provide technically support needed, in terms of election planning, mechanism and expertise resolving disagreement through dialogue to held elections not far away in middle of 2021.

However, Al-Shabaab may also accelerate their attacks as they see advantage in the current political crises in the country, so far, they made attempts to recapture areas under the Galmudug state and doubled their operation across the region.

If the sides fail  to conduct agreed elections on February 2021, this  may decline Somalia’s efforts on state building, reconciliation process & ongoing financial reforms, and completion of the provisional federal constitution, also, some are believed that delay may bring back anarchy and civil war as clans are armed and the government have a limited power to fully control the country the entire country.

Email: ahmedrabille0@gmail.com

The post What will happen if agreed election does not held on 8 February 2021 appeared first on Puntland Post.