Somalia To Hold Presidential Election on October 10 After Federal State leaders Approved New Deal

MOGADISHU, Somalia, Jun 29 – Nine months after President Mohammed Abdullahi alias Farmaajo’s term in office expired, setting of a chain reaction event that threatened the stability of the horn of Africa nation, the country is finally ready to hold its presidential election.

Federal Government state leaders have unanimously agreed to have the presidential election held on October 10, during a two day conference with the country’s prime minister Mohammed Roble, the National Consultative Council has revealed.

The council unveiled its election calendar, which was a bone of contention for months leading to sporadic violence in the country’s capital Mogadishu and other major towns.

Earlier last month, the five heads of the regional states including the governor of Benadir region put pen to paper on the new Federal Electoral Agreement marking an end of the 4-day talks on the pre-polls crisis.

The new election calendar will now see the training and election of committee chairs that will supervise the polls being held between June 30 and July 5. Polling stations will then be prepared on July 23, with an exercise kicking off to select and train electoral delegates between July 15 and August 10.

Elections for members of the senate will then be held on July 25 while that of members of the house of the people will be held between August 10 and September 10.

The elaborate electoral calendar will then see senators ,members of parliament and speakers of the senate and house of the people being sworn-in on September 20.

The much anticipated presidential election will then be held on October 10.

Former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as well as former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire will be eying the country’s top job.

“I want to thank leaders and wish them all the best during the elections, which will follow the new timetable and procedures,” said Roble.

The current President’s term expired in February 2020, but wrangling over elections meant a new group of lawmakers was not selected in December to choose a new president.

Back in April, the lower house of parliament voted to extend his four-year term by another two years.

A move rejected by the Senate and criticized by the international community, as a result provoking a political crisis.

AMISOM police alongside local security forces are expected to provide security during the polls.