The Somalia presidential election that had been rescheduled to November 30 has been postponed yet again to December.

The election of the 275 members of the Lower House which is yet to be completed, logistical problems, insecurity in some areas and clan disagreements are said to have led to another delay.

The Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (FIEIT) led by Omar Mohamed Abdulle, which is managing the elections, has not, however, indicated when the presidential poll will be held only saying: “The exact dates are not known”.

The elections for the Lower House in the capital Mogadishu failed to kick off on November 22, despite two polling stations in Gen Kahiye Police Academy and the Police Transport Headquarters having been set up. 

Residents of Mogadishu are going about their business without the traditional street campaigns. The only evidence that the country is undergoing elections are the many billboards of candidates placed on virtually every lamppost in Mogadishu streets. 

However, elections have been going on in the five other states of Puntland, Jubbaland, Southwest, Galmudug and Hirshabelle, albeit in a very slow manner. Some have been marred by logistical delays and disputes. 

Violence broke out between aspirants over clan differences in the newly created Hirshabelle State, forcing the polls to be postponed by five days. The United Nations Special Envoy for Somalia Michael Keating and the African Union Special Envoy, Francisco Madeira had to mediate for the elections to resume. 

Two-thirds threshold

The EastAfrican established that the international community led by the UN — which is financing and managing the polls — is pushing for the presidential elections to be held by the second week of December, with the expectation that Somalia will go into the new year with a newly-elected parliament and president. 

According to the new election model,  the 275 MPs and 54 senators elected in Mogadishu and the five states of Puntland, Jubbaland, Southwest, Galmudug and Hirshabelle, were supposed to elect the president on November 30. The exercise was supposed to be completed by November 10. 

However, by the time we went to press, only 178 MPs and 43 senators had been elected.

Mr Abdulle said FIEIT could be forced to use the provision that allows the presidential elections to go on once two-thirds of the MPs (184) have been elected.

But candidates seeking to unseat President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud raised concerns that the outgoing government was interfering with the mandate of the FIEIT by manipulating the process and hyping clan politics.

Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, an independent candidate among the 16 that have declared interests so far said on November 22 that although the electoral body had not declared its inability to stick to the deadline, it was clear that the presidential elections would not be held on November 30.

There have been allegations of bribery and other electoral malpractices, with some candidates being replaced at the last minute. The UN issued a statement saying that it was disturbed by cases of voter bribery, intimidation of voters and candidates and use of state resources by some candidates.

Interim president

Should there be strong indications that the presidential elections cannot be held, then the National Leadership Forum — that includes the president, the prime minister, the speaker and the five regional presidents — will meet and set a new date in consultation with international partners. 

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud’s term officially came to end on September 10 but NLF decided that he will stay on interim capacity until presidential elections are held, but he would have no powers to make major appointments or sackings. 

Meanwhile, security arrangements have so far managed to thwart any impeding attacks by the Al Shabaab militant group, which had promised to disrupt the elections.

A special security taskforce comprising of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), Somalia National Army, the police and international security agencies has been instrumental in blocking Al Shabaab from disrupting the elections.

SNA Commander, Gen Albashir Mohamed told The EastAfrican in Mogadishu that there have been very few incidences involving the militants throughout the country and that the security agencies are confident that the elections will end peacefully.

“Amisom, SNA and other partners have done a good job in securing the election process. We have devised new strategies to secure the remaining phases of the elections and we don’t think Al Shabaab is in a position to stop us,” said Gen Mohamed after a three-day conference for all the commanders that ended on Wednesday. 

A total of 14,024 electors selected by 135 clan elders were supposed to participate in the parliamentary and senate elections in the five federal regions. Each of the 275 MPs will be elected by 51 delegates. Then the 275 MPs and 54 Senators will converge in one place in Mogadishu to elect the president.