Electoral Teams overstepped mandate on vote centres for M.Shabelle/Hiiraan-PM

Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke has faulted the Federal electoral body FIEIT for the decision to declare Mogadishu as the polling centre for Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle region.

In a statement Monday, the Premier who is also a Presidential candidate in the upcoming polls said the polls body had overstepped its mandate noting the decision was solely within the remit of the Federal Government.

“We have immense respect for the elections implementation team; however the Federal Government has the exclusive mandate to decide where elections will be held. I call on the Team (electoral body) to respect the National Leadership Forum decisions,” Sharmake said.

The Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team, FIEIT and its State level equivalent, SIEIT announced Monday the elections of the yet to be formed Hiiraan/Middle Shabelle region will be conducted in Mogadishu after a majority vote by elders from the two regions.

“After long discussions, 16 out of the 18 elders representing the two regions agreed on the City of Mogadishu as their preferred center,” the polls teams said in a joint statement.