Political uncertainty in S. West as polls committee resign

The upcoming presidential elections in South West Monday night suffered a major set-back after the state electoral committee resigned en-mass barely ten days into the polls day as they pointed fingers at Mogadishu.

While announcing the resignation, the committee chairman Arfo Ibrahim Aden laid the blame at the doors of Villa Somalia accusing the federal government of ‘holding’ the state MPs in Mogadishu with intent of frustrating the process.

The committee said the federal government was interfering, threatening and challenging the electoral process

One of the candidates in the upcoming polls, Amina Mursal told Goobjoog News Lower House Speaker Mohamed Mursal had summoned the state MPs to Mogadishu with clear instructions on how the vote will be executed. Ms. Mursal alleged that the Speaker had ‘given them financial support to meet their needs’.

The resignation of the committee now cast doubt on the likelihood of the elections taking place in time even as more fingers are directed at the federal government. Water and Energy Minister Abdiaziz Laftagreen who is reportedly being fronted by the federal government resigned Monday to contest for the seat

A section of candidates and stakeholders Monday accused the federal government of attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

“FGS    is    using    corruption,    nepotism,    bribery    and  vote    buying    in   order    to install      its       own       favourite       candidate       as       the      president       of       SWS      and       thus,       it       is       destroying he    constitutional    and    political    legitimacy of    the    election    processes,” the forum added.

Goobjoog News