Leaders meet in Mogadishu to wrap up poll talks

The National Leadership Forum will meet in Mogadishu today in what is likely to be the last meeting before the elections which are set to start later this month.

The Forum which is composed of the President, PM, House Speaker and regional administrations leaders will be expected to dispose of remaining issues ahead of the polls, notable among them the specific formula on achieving the 30% quota for women in both Houses of Parliament.

The exact time President Hassan Sheikh’s Mohamud mandate will end is expected to strongly feature in the talks.

A letter addressed to the leaders by UN Special envoy Michael Keating seen by Goobjoog News this week proposed that the President’s mandate come to an end a week after the October 30 Presidential poll which translates to November 6.

The UN further proposes a moratorium come into effect immediately to bar the President and Parliament from making any major decisions as they wait for the new administration.

Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke said yesterday the NLF will iron out remaining issues before the country goes into elections which will start with the election of the Lower House members on September 24 this month. Ugaas Hassan for Rer-Aw-Hassan sub clan is also expected to be confirmed as the sub clan’s representative in the 135 club of elders who will select delegates. The sub clan’s elder who participated in the election of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in 2012 passed on and is therefore to be replaced.

The meeting comes ahead of the IGAD heads of states and governments scheduled for September 10. The leaders will also likely discuss on the preparations for the meeting which will be the first one since 1985 to be held in Somalia.