PM Roble, opposition to meet today amid poll deadlock
GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Opposition leaders are today meeting Prime Minister Mohamed Roble in Mogadishu to explore ways on the resumption of electoral talks as attempts by outgoing president Mohamed Farmaajo to re-engage Jubbaland and Puntland hit a brick wall.
Sources have told Goobjoog News the PM will be meeting with the Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC), an umbrella of 15 presidential candidates at Decale Hotel located at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu.
Galmudug and HirShabelle presidents Ahmed Qoorqoor and Ali Gudlaawe respectively will also be attending the talks in mediator roles.
The meeting is seen as a strategy by Farmaajo to find alternative ways to have Puntland and Jubbaland ease their positions after the two allied states set out new demands before the talks resume.
READ ALSO: Puntland demands Farmaajo’s powers trimmed, security chiefs sacked ahead of fresh talks
But the opposition which is equally opposed to Farmaajo already has its set of demands for today’s talks, Goobjoog News has learnt. First, the opposition is demanding an apology from the Federal Government on the use of live fire by security forces last Friday on protestors.
Roble had appeared to soften this stance on this matter when he urged security forces against the use of force. The opposition interpreted the Friday move as an attempted assassination of its members.
Secondly, the opposition wants the demonstrations to proceed contrary to the position of the Federal Government which has banned the demos citing the resurgence of COVID-19. The demos are planned for tomorrow (Friday).
Lastly, the CPC will be demanding that the electoral talks be widened to include other stakeholders including themselves. UPD leader and former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said last week there was a need to include other stakeholders ‘since those who have been in the room have failed to produce results.’
The Federal Government is expected to demand that only government forces provide security during the demonstrations.
Puntland demanded Wednesday demanded that Farmaajo commits to a reduction of executive authority and that the heads of the military, police and intelligence be replaced before the talks can resume.