WHITE SMOKE: Ray of hope as Somali leaders inch closer to poll deal
GOOBJOOG NEWS|DHUSAMAREB: A glimmer of hope emerged from Dhusamareb Thursday morning following a compromise deal between the federal and state leaders on the ongoing electoral stalemate in what could now pave way for the much-delayed exercise to kick off.
Sources close to the talks have intimated to Goobjoog News that President Mohamed Farmaajo has significantly ceded ground in what could emerge as a win for the opposition and the two allied states of Jubbaland and Puntland.
Farmaajo, sources said, agreed to filter out people considered as his cronies in the Federal Indirect Elections Team (FIET). These include senior civil servants, Villa Somalia operatives and intelligence officials. Villa Somalia deputy chief of staff Abdinur Mohamed is one of the senior-most administration officials appointed to FIET by Farmaajo.
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The Council of President Candidates (CPC) alongside Puntland and Jubbaland had joined hands in demanding Farmaajo disbands the electoral body.
Another win for the CPC and the two allied states is the appointment of elections committee for Somaliland. According to sources, the meeting resolved to task Senate Speaker Abdi Hashi and Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled to meet and provide a direction on the matter which would in effect mean they will be responsible for the appointment of the Somaliland team.
The two leaders are the senior-most officials from Somaliland serving in the Federal Government.
Ahmed Madobe (Jubbaland) and his close ally Abdullahi Deni of Jubbaland seem to have made another score against Farmaajo after it emerged the Federal Government will not be having a hand in the Gedo elections. According to a preliminary agreement, the meeting resolved that Amisom will provide security and that Jubbaland administration will be responsible for administrative issues.
Deni and Madobe had demanded that Farmaajo withdraws federal troops from Gedo but the president has stood ground against the demand.
The issue of Banaadir remains unclear but indications are that the matter will be shelved according to sources. Farmaajo signed a Lower House resolution last month which sought to allocate 13 Senate seats for Banaadir region which encompasses the capital Mogadishu.