DHUSAMAREB 3: We can’t trust you, Deni, Madobe tell Farmaajo, call for foreign guarantor

Puntland and Jubbaland have called for an international guarantor to the just-opened electoral talks in Dhusamareb noting they could not trust the Federal Government to implement agreements reached in the talks.

The two states which have had rocky relations with Mogadishu accused President Mohamed Farmaajo of ‘ceding’ authority to the Lower House on the final outcome of the talks. President Farmaajo told the Lower House last week before heading to Dhusamareb he would be bringing back the Dhusamareb agreement for approval by the House.

“Puntland Government deems important the participation of the International Community representatives at the Dhusamareb 3 Conference in order to act as guarantors for implementation of the conference outcome, without which the outcome of the conference may not be implemented as agreed upon,” a statement from Puntland president Abdullahi Deni read in part.

Jubbaland filed similar sentiments noting the absence of a substantive government in Mogadishu made it difficult for the agreements to be implemented.  President Farmaajo is yet to appoint a new prime minister.

Deni also accused Farmaajo of sidelining the Upper House by arrogating responsibility of representing the Federal Member States to the Lower House ‘to make consequential decisions that should be implemented throughout the country.

Upper House Speaker Abdi Hashi has also admonished the president for undermining the 54-member chamber calling on him to ‘uphold the rule of law and to preserve the country’s system of checks and balances.’

The third round of the talks opened Monday night and was attended by Farmaajo, FMS leaders from Galmudug, South West, HirShabelle and Banaadir Regional Government.

The leaders are expected to agree on an electoral formula following the announcement in late June by the electoral commission, NIEC it would not deliver a one person one vote poll this year.