Somalia’s senior elections official dies of COVID-19

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a blow to Somalia’s electoral process Friday following the death of the country’s electoral dispute resolution chairman.

Professor Abdullahi Abyan Nur died in Martini Hospital Friday in what impeccable sources confirmed he succumbed to COVID-19. Between 2009 and 2016, Professor Nur served as an MP and also Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs.

Last year, the deceased long-serving politician was appointed to the Electoral Dispute Resolution Committee and subsequently elected its chairman. He becomes one of the seniormost government officials to die of COVID-19. Two former prime ministers and HirShabelle state minister have since died of COVID-19.

Somalia has since recorded 870 deaths and 16,195 COVID-19 infections since the disease made landfall in March 2020.