Sunday November 28, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Lower House elections slated for Beletwyene and President Mohamed Farmaajo's backyard, Gerbaharey could be moved to Mogadishu by the Federal Government, HOL has learnt.
Sources privy to the plan have told HOL the Federal Government is planning to move the elections for the two centres to Mogadishu amid concerns that it would deny locals participation and enable the Federal Government to influence the process.
Sources said the Government had informed the international community that elections in the two places would not be possible owing to instability.
For Beletwyene, our sources said, the government argues it would not be possible to hold the vote since the state (Hirshabelle) president Ali Gudlawe will not be able to travel to Beletwyene in Hiiraan region owing to ongoing differences between the two sides.
Gudlawe has not been able to travel to Hiiraan region since he came into office late 2020 following protests over his election.
Hiiraan region rejected his election arguing that it violated a rotational basis agreement which meant the next president ought to have come from Hiiraan and not Middle Shabelle.
However, state presidents have no role in the elections besides naming the candidates proposed by clans.
Out of the 38 seats for Hirshabelle state, 25 were to be elected in Beletwyene with the balance in the capital, Jowhar.
The supremacy battles between Farmaajo and Jubaland president Ahmed Madobe is necessitating the decision to move the elections from Gerbaharey to Mogadishu. The two have sharply differed over the 16 seats in Gerbaharey for about two years now.
Should the election for the two centres- which account for 41 seats be moved to Mogadishu, it is likely to instigate further instability especially for Hiiraan region which already feels aggrieved by Villa Somalia.
President Mohamed Farmaajo will also have got the Upper hand in directing directing vote his way.