Somali PM calls for talks on delayed elections

The forum will kick off in Mogadishu next Saturday, a day that the country marks independence day. 

News Keydmedia Online
23 June 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's caretaker prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has called for a new round of consultative talks next Saturday, June 27 to speed up the May 27 deal on the delayed elections.

The office of the PM said on Tuesday that the meeting will bring together all signatories of the last month's pre-election deal who are set to discuss the implementation of the voting model.

"The PM will convene a two-day forum with Federal government, Federal member states, and Benadir governor on June 26, 2021, in Mogadishu to finalize implementation of the Electoral agreement for free and fair elections,” the OPM said in a statement.

The talks come amid calls by the Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) for transparent, free, and fair elections in the country, putting pressure on PM Roble to kick out alleged spy agents and biased members from the election bodies.

Somalia has missed its election deadline twice after the term of the president and parliament lapsed in February and December respectively with no successive government in place.

Farmajo whose four-year term ended on February 8 has been blamed for the failure after rejecting to make compromises during talks with regional leaders on the electoral stalemate. 

After Farmajo illegally extended his term by 2 years last April, violence hit the streets of the capital Mogadishu as pro-opposition forces battled against the dictatorship in the country.

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