DPM Guled names Hashi’s contender after criticism

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Outgoing senate speaker Abdi Hashi will not be standing alone in the ballot for a senate seat after all following the selection of a candidate to contest with him.

Following protests from Somaliland lawmakers in Mogadishu, Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled announced Monday night a candidate to face off with Hashi had been found. Sai’d Omar Hussein will be contesting for the first senate seat with Hashi, Guled said noting the decision to get a contender followed ‘consultations with elders.’

The announcement last week that Hashi will go unchallenged sparked sharp criticism from Somaliland politicians among them presidential candidate Fawzia Haji who said the process fell short of a democratic exercise.

While we welcome the agreement between the two sides of the Somaliland politicians, it was hoped that they would hold free and fair elections, based on fair competition and fair elections,” the Somaliland politicians said in a joint statement.

The senate candidates are expected to address the delegates today ahead of vote expected to happen from tomorrow.