By Ahmed Adan (Sooldaad)
The politicians seeking political office employ every trick of the book and play every card available to solicit people to vote in their favour. They hire political strategists, spin-doctors and media personalities, especially in Western countries. In contrast, elections in Africa are blemished with violence, hired hooligans and thugs to scuttle the polls with violence.
In Somalia, an election is like a lottery and its outcome is governed by money. Although corruption and vote-buying are common practice, each candidate has an equal chance to become president provided he or she outlasts others on spending. Prof. Abdi Samatar confirmed that on the eve of the election Farmajo spent $30,000 per vote. Likewise, Hassan Sheikh and Sharif were spending vast sums of money.
Election fever is brewing in Somalia, along with a significant influx of potential candidates making a pilgrimage to Mogadishu: some have already signed election pacts promising to nominate one presidential candidate. Even though the rules of the game are yet to be agreed; upon, most players are prematurely warming up. The government insisted that the election would take place on the set date and will be based on one-person-one-vote polls. The UN Security Council reiterated the need for elections to happen as timetabled.
The head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, Mr. Swan, warned, “Any delay in this timeline puts the 2020 electoral calendar at risk.” In order to break the stalemate, he also encouraged the Central government and federal members’ states to compromise and to open dialogue channels. He stressed the importance of an inclusive process and a consensus model agreed upon by all members of the federal state.
Despite the promise to hold elections, the Somalis remained cautious about the notion of entertaining term extension for the current administration. It will be an uphill task for an election to be organized throughout the country within the remaining 12 months. However, the government is shrewdly pushing the narrative of “one – man, one vote.”
Last December the lower house has hastily passed electoral law which the president signed last week without much consideration for the stakeholders.October 3rd, 2019, the Somalia PM reiterated that “holding open and fair elections and ensuring peaceful transition.” Disingenuously and deliberately is a misleading statement while we are all aware that politically and practically the environment is not conducive for an election to take place.
There is a stalemate between federal member states ( FMS) and the central government on the completion of the constitution. Electoral code and Political Parties act are yet to be adapted. The voter registration process and approved list of sites are not yet demarcated. Security is another challenge given that the government does not enjoy the legitimate use of violence over a large part of the country. No official census of the population has been conducted since 1985 and for the remaining period it is impossible to collect such an important data. On the other hand, the government still is struggling to complete the registrationof the soldiers biometrically.
Security of the country is at the hands of Al-shabab. It is an open secret that business in Mogadishu pay taxes for protection and any disputes among Mogadishu residence goes to the Al-shabab controlled areas. The president has never set foot Bakara market, which are few blocks away from his presentational place for security reasons. Former top diplomat and one-time close associate of Farmajo, Yusuf Garad, reported recently in his blog, the worsening situations in Mogadishu. He portrayed a deadlock city that is divided into mini cities; neither of them can cross the other freely. He further stated that, Leaders don’t live the same Mogadishu with the public. He encouraged all parties to find a solution before the anger and the frustration of the public turns into uprising.
Critics of Mr. Farmajo say that in three years in office he has failed to deliver on promises to fix security and, tackle corruption and the completion of the provisional constitution. Attacks carried out by Al-Shabab have been on the rise. December 2019, more than 80 were killed in Mogadishu; mostly university students and civilians. The current attack on Ex-controlhas raised concerns about the readiness of Somali forces securing the safety of the voters and polling stations. More than three years passed without much work done on the election process. It’s widely suspected that delay tactics provide avenue for electoral malpractices and rigging schemes. If the government has no ill intention for malpractices and extension the process should have started way back 2017.
Going to the polls it’s never quite the straightforward as the government anticipate but, I fear that Farmajo becomes the sole candidate on the ballot and that will give him the pretext for an extension beyond his term. Thus, the hard truth will come to light, and they will be coronation ceremony of crowning the chosen one dressed up as an election.
Ahmed Adan (Sooldaad)
Emial:[email protected]
London, UK
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Mr Adan Sooldaad holds BSc of science and MSc of public health& leadership.
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