Farmaajo bent on manipulating poll through NISA, civil servants-FNP

Somalia’s major opposition parties have decried what they termed as attempts by President Mohamed Farmaajo to influence the upcoming elections through appointment of cronies and intelligence officials to the poll committee.

In a terse statement Saturday, the Forum for National Parties (FNP) coalition accused President Farmaajo of seeking to manipulate the upcoming parliamentary elections. They cited the appointments of senior intelligence officials and civil servants to the Federal Elections Committee.

Separately, former President and UPD party leader Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the appointment of National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) officials to the polls body ‘posed serious consequences’.

“The unlawful inclusion of NISA members in the elections’ management is a gross violation against transparency of the electoral process and poses a serious consequence on the outcome of the process,” the former President said in a tweet.

He called on the President to ‘distance the security agencies from the administration.’

FNP which comprises of six political parties also demanded that the State Level Elections Committee for Somaliland be solely appointed by the speaker of the Upper House Abdi Hashi and not the president since he (Hashi) is the senior-most leader from Somaliland.