Somalia’s opposition holds talks with Govt ahead of protests

The PM declined to agree on the opposition's attendance at the meeting between Farmajo and leaders of the regional states over the electoral standoff in the country, according to sources.

News Keydmedia Online
25 February 2021

MOGADISHU, Somalia - High-level talks between the outgoing Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and opposition candidates are underway at the Decale hotel inside Mogadishu Airport.

The meeting which brought together several candidates, including Hassan Sheikh, Sheikh Sharif, Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, and Dahir Guelleh focuses on a number of main issues, including an opposition demonstration planned for Friday, Feb 26 in the capital.

The parties agreed on a number of issues, among them the government to apologize for the 19th Feb incident in which police attacked former leaders at Maida hotel and opened fire at protesters during a peaceful rally last Friday. 

The PM declined to agree on the opposition's attendance at the meeting between Farmajo and leaders of the regional states over the electoral standoff in the country, according to sources.

People in Mogadishu are in a fearful situation and keeping an eye on the meeting that, if failed to yield fruits would lead to violence in the capital which has been bracing attacks from Al-Shabaab in the past years.

The latest clashes between the pro-opposition protesters and security forces have left at least five dead and led to the shut down of Mogadishu airport after several mortar rounds struck the heavily fortified facility.

The former president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo blamed for being responsible for what is happening currently in Mogadishu after refusing to hold an election and handover power smoothly to an elected successor. 

KON English News Desk