Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) – Somali leaders opened their third round of talks discussing about the divisive issue on the model of elections the country would hold this year Monday one week the two sides failed to narrow their gaps.
The two-day meeting follows earlier talks in Kismayo town that resulted in no breakthrough with Somali president and his delegation walked out of the meeting and flown to Mogadishu, heaping worries that such misunderstanding would interrupt election plans.
Somali and foreign officials attending the talks expressed optimism that the country’s stakeholders would end their dispute as the international community pressures leaders to hammer out their
differences.
Somalia’s government has proposed a presidential election in 2016; however, it dismissed the likelihood of holding popular elections due to security challenges.
Some of the country’s regional leaders suggested selections of the country’s parliament based on the 18 regions while others wanted making selections in line with federal states, significant sticking
points that attendants said complicated the talks.
Puntland and Jubbaland leaders have earlier recommended holding the upcoming elections, considering constituencies while leaders from Galmudug and South-western states dismissed the idea and in its place called for 4.5 formula of election.
According to Somalia’s Provisional Federal Constitution, adopted in 2012, the mandates of the Somali Federal Parliament and of the Government would come to an end in August and September 2016,
respectively.
The country still faces security challenges as the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabab group continues to carry out violent attacks across Somalia by carrying out guerrilla attacks including suicide attacks and
assassinations.