File Photo/Somali Times
At the Mogadishu Conference of the Prime Minister of Somalia and heads of regional administrations, Prime Minister Roble faces a major question: Will it curb the political ambitions of regional leaders or will it be part of it?
The conference has four main issues, but the most important, is the process of electing members of parliament, with state leaders trying to seize control of the election from the federal election commission. The Federal Electoral Commission, which has learned that regional leaders intend to develop an electoral code, pre-empted it, and on August 19th issued a procedure for parliamentary elections.
This process has severely limited the power of state leaders, but state leaders now want to change that, as they seek to develop an electoral system that gives them more power. The plan of the state leaders is to make the election of the House of Representatives the same as that of the Upper House, which has full control over who becomes a senator and who does not.
There are no regional administrative leaders who are able to produce for the election process, if they can do so, a question of what needs to be built for election committees?
Prime Minister Mohamed Roble himself has already weakened the electoral commission by forming another committee in his office to oversee the election finances, which was the job of the federal election commission.
The commission has already seized $7.2 million in election funds, following an agreement with the international community. The main contention is: who has the power to select the delegates to elect the councilor. Regional leaders want to play a role in selecting delegates, while tribal elders, the electoral commission, the union of candidates and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo want tribal independence.
Some argue that the committee on federal and most are dependent on the president to resign, this is why they want federal empowering more to prevent Somalia’s corruption- the vote of Parliament.
Prime Minister Roble, who is currently embroiled in controversy with President Mohamed Farmajo, is reportedly persuading some regional leaders to adopt a different electoral process from that of the Electoral Commission, which could lead to further political tensions.
The clause in the election process also appears to have split the Union of Candidates and some former regional administration leaders, with candidates strongly opposed, making the Upper House election similar to the Lower House.
In a statement issued at their conference in Mogadishu last week, the candidates expressed deep concern over the conduct of the country’s elections, particularly the Upper House. They also sent a direct message to regional leaders demanding that the role of the state be limited to facilitating and conducting elections.
Roble, who has earned a reputation for being impartial and well-mannered since taking over the reins of the presidency, will have a reputation as a scapegoat for years of scandal and political corruption.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble part of the conspiracy of the regional leaders corruption, with no elections being held, but regional leaders selecting friends, relatives and political allies.