FEIT is run by PM’s office and lost its neutrality: Lafta-Garen

Lafta-Garen, who is a close ally of Farmajo said FEIT boss Muse Gelle has no idea the statement posted on the FIET’s Facebook page, announcing the suspension of the seats.

News Keydmedia Online
8 April 2022

BAIDOA, Somalia – The leader of the Southwest State of Somalia Abdiaziz Lafta-Garen accused the office of the prime minister of hijacking the Federal electoral body [FEIT].

He made the allegations during a consultative meeting with lawmakers elected from his regional state in Baidoa on Thursday days after FEIT excluded 3 seats from the released MPs’ list.

Lafta-Garen, who is a close ally of Farmajo said FEIT boss Muse Gelle has no idea the statement posted on the FIET’s Facebook page, announcing the suspension of the seats.

Surprisingly, the FIET’s social media sites are run by the deputy information minister Al-Adala who wrote On Wednesday, the re-election of four House seats,' said Lafta-Garen.

The suspended seats include Hop086 which was won by Fahad Yasin, Farmajo’s current national security advisor in an election in that other candidates were denied to participate.

HirShabelle state, the constituency of the disputed seat has rejected FEIT’s decision, arguing that no complaints were filed against the electoral process in Beledweyne city.

The three other seats are from Southwest state, where the most MPs [77] were elected in two voting districts – Baidoa and Barawe in a process that was marred by voter fraud.

This week, Southwest state said it halted cooperation with PM on the election issues in protest of the FEIT statement that declared the withholding of the seats.

UN’s envoy James Swan has called on FEIT to resolve the dispute and complete the election of the remaining seats, including 16 in Garbaharey town before the 14th of April.

Somali PM Mohamed Hussein Roble who took over the election responsibility from president Farmajo in May 2021 wants the new parliament to be sworn in next week.

The political experts believe the election will drag on for months as long as the disputes remained unresolved. Farmajo is in a deadlock with Roble over the control of Somalia.

FEIT has issued certifications with nearly 170 legislators since second April but the process has faced major challenges after Lafta-Garen held MPs in Baidoa, 250Km SW of Mogadishu.

KEYDMEDIA English