Key issues to watch as Dhusamareb rounds resume
By T. Roble
GOOBJOOG NEWS|DHUSAMAREB: The fifth round of electoral talks between President Mohamed Farmaajo and regional states leaders is commencing today amid high expectations locally and international for a compromise deal following weeks of grandstanding between the two sides.
Farmaajo and his PM Mohamed Roble will be engaging with the Federal Member States leaders in the hope of striking a deal to end the stalemate that has seen parliamentary elections put off three times since last October.
The meeting suffered its first glitch Sunday evening when the militant group Al-Shabaab fired nine mortar shells at the town where most of the leaders including the President and PM were already gathered. At least four people were injured.
The issue of Banaadir is also another last-minute contentious issue fronted by Farmaajo following his signature last week to a resolution by the Lower House.
The FMS leaders reportedly held a separate meeting last night in what sources said was aimed at ironing out pending issues and agreeing on a joint position before meeting the Federal Government leaders. Three states-South West, HirShabelle and Galmudug are allied with Farmaajo leaving out Jubbaland and Puntland which have put the most resistance at the Federal Government.
The three friendly presidents were installed by Farmaajo in elections his administration largely had influence over.
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Today’s talks, which are the fourth in Dhusamareb and fifth overall since August will likely not be faced by many hurdles following intense pressure on the federal and regional leaders from the international community to climb down on their positions. UN head in Somalia James Swan concluded a whirl wind tour of the FMS last Saturday where he successfully convinced Abdullahi Deni (Puntland) and his Jubbaland counterpart Ahmed Madobe to appoint their respective electoral committees.
Nonetheless, the talks will not be a ride in the park since both sides still have unresolved demands.
FIET AND SOMALILAND QUESTION
Having eased their positions, Deni and Madobe are likely to carry on with a common demand with the Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) that Farmaajo disbands the Federal Indirect Elections Team (FIET) and form a new one.
Another demand which will likely make way into the table is the appointment of the team to oversee the election of representatives for Somaliland.
Farmaajo has since stood ground and formed one despite calls from the opposition that he leaves it to Senate Speaker who is the senior-most elected official from the break-away region. In their latest demand letter, CPC said the Somaliland issue be left to both Hashi and deputy prime minister Mahdi Guled who also hails from Somaliland.
BANAADIR STATUS
The issue of Banaadir is also another last-minute contentious issue fronted by Farmaajo following his signature last week to a resolution by the Lower House. The resolution provides for the allocation of 13 Senate seats to Banaadir region in what also technically elevates Mogadishu to equal status as a Federal Member State. Both Jubbaland and Puntland are opposed to the matter.
TRANSITION
President Farmaajo’s stay in office lapses on February 8 in conformity with constitutional dictates. However, it is not lost on anyone that, that deadline will not be met necessitating an extended stay. Given the rigorous and lengthy process of electing senators and MPs, the earliest a full parliament will be in place is early March.
It follows therefore that the Dhusamareb meeting must present a proposal to parliament on how to handle the transition and how much time to give Farmaajo to stay at Villa Somalia.
NEW ELECTORAL TIMELINES
Finally, the meeting will also be negotiating new electoral timelines after previous ones failed. This includes the selection of close to 30,000 delegates who will elect MPs and the actual voting timelines. Notable also will be whether to stick with the September proposal for two polling centres in each FMS or settle for one considering limited time.
Farmaajo is expected to brief a joint session of Parliament on the outcome of the meeting later in the week.