Political parties in Somalia are calling for the formation of an interim government to take over from the President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud administration after its term of office expires on September 9.
This subject dominated a symposium held in Mogadishu, which brought together stakeholders in the country’s political arena to discuss the legal implications of the current political activities. Presidential candidates, leaders of political parties, members of the civil society as well as invited guests attended the function.
Those in attendance were presidential candidates, Anab Mohamed Dahir, Abdirahman Abdi Shakur, politicians Maalim Fiqi, Mohamed Ahmed Nur Tarsan, Salad Ali Jelle, Ali Nuh Timajili’ among other leaders.
The leaders unanimously agreed to resist any attempts to extend the term of the current administration and called on the people of Somalia to decide how the country will be governed afterSeptember 10 to avoid a constitutional crisis and leadership vacuum.
Former mayor of Mogadishu and Chairman of the Social Justice Party, Ahmed Nur Tarzan, blamed the current administration for the delay in the preparation for the elections.
He said the government had underperformed during its tenure and did not deserve an extension.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of United Democratic Party Salad Ali Jelle, observed that the coalition of political parties was ready to work with elders to carry out the selection exercise of parliamentarians because the federal government had failed to spearhead the process within the scheduled timeframe. This, he said, would save the country from any political crisis and leadership vacuum.
Jelle said the onus will be on the people of Somalia and urged them to be proactive beforeSeptember 10. Anab Mohamed, one of the female candidates seeking the country’s top seat, urged the federal government to hand over the leadership mantle to an interim administration once it’s time lapses because it had dragged its feet in executing the electoral process.
A joint statement released at the end of the symposium called for the formation of a caretaker government headed by technocrats with no political affiliation or interest. The current leadership was also asked to hand over power peacefully once their term expires. Further similar forums will be held in the run up to the elections, the statement added
