Foreign envoys say failure to fix Somali poll malpractices will implicate legitimacy of the upcoming government

Foreign ambassadors in Mogadishu have said failure by Somalia’s leaders to take action against serious electoral abuses will have implications for the legitimacy of the government that will emerge from this process and, consequently, its relationship with the international community.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, envoys from the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ethiopia, Italy, Sweden, Britain and the United States warned against allowing impunity to prevail reflects badly on all Somali Leadership Forum (NLF) members and would set a negative precedent for the 2020 elections.

They also called on the NLF, the highest authority that created the IEDRM and that is responsible for safeguarding the legitimacy of the electoral process, to work with the IEDRM to ensure accountability for the electoral abus          e.

They maintained that the electoral process must now be concluded swiftly and in a successful and credible manner.

Michael Keating, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, said the NLF should reach a decision on the disputed seats in the House of the People in a prompt and fair manner that is broadly acceptable to the people of Somalia and the international community.

This comes barely two days after reports circulated by local media who spoke to close sources to NLF, highlighted that Somali leaders are dragging their on the acceptance of the nullification of the eleven parliamentary seats submitted IEDRM.