Somali Opposition Candidates announce a national consultative forum to address election issues

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somali opposition candidates have announced the scheduling of a national consultative forum in collusion with Somali intellectuals to chart the way forward on the country’s elections which are currently stuck in a quagmire.  The Union of Candidates has lamented what it termed as brazen violation of electoral regularities in the ongoing exercise, noting that no one, including those in higher authority have shown interest in ensuring that the country holds free and transparent elections.   “It is clear to the council that no one is responsible for stopping the electoral fraud and taking corrective measures. It is also clear that the federal and state government officials are not interested in a free and transparent election, in order to save the country from political and security instability,” read the statement.  The Council further said that it would not sit back and watch as the country plunges into a state of uncertainity, but rather take steps to save the country by appointing a Conference Organizing Committee and a Conference Security Committee  to organise the upcoming conference aimed at addressing the current issues bedeviling the  country’s electoral process.  The Council’s move, follows repeated calls made by the body to halt the electoral excercise citing ”naked rigging” and blatant disregard of election procedures.