The move comes amid complaints of numerous fraud cases in the election of some MPs and that preparations for the poll were not complete.
NAIROBI – Somalia’s electoral body is expected to announce a new date for the upcoming presidential which was scheduled to take place on 28 December, in another one-month delay, to 28 December, sources said Saturday.
The move comes amid complaints of numerous fraud cases in the election of some MPs and that preparations for the poll were not complete.
The UN and the African Union had called for Somali officials to fast track the process, saying that more delays would create political instability and uncertainty in the horn of Africa nation.
However, a senior Somali official told Alleastafrica that the electoral commission concluded delay in the upcoming election for one more month follow a delay in the swearing-in new MPs last week and the unfeasibility of electing a new speaker by 22nd December.
“It wouldn’t help but very inevitable told delay it for the fourth time because of some pressing challenges.” He said by phone from Mogadishu of the election delay. He asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
He noted that the electoral body would likely deliver the announcement on Sunday or later this week.
Meanwhile, divisions at the top of Somalia’s government deepened last week, with the prime minister called for leadership change, in an apparent call to elect a new president in the upcoming presidential election in the horn of Africa nation.
The incumbent president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who is trying to defend his seat faces accusations of performing below par and shortcomings leveled against him by opposition leaders. However, he repeatedly denied the charges and labeled them as ‘deception’ by his opponents.
Political rivals accuse him of monopolizing power, while many believe he deliberately favors his own political party at the expense of others.
The current government has been riven by political rivalry and has struggled to contain an escalating al-shabab insurgency across large parts of the country.
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