Thursday July 13, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Chief of State, Hussein Sheikh Mohamud, has refuted claims that the government plans to extend President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed's term, emphasizing the government's support for unifying federal and regional elections.
In an interview with BBC Somali on Thursday, the director clarified that the proposal to extend the constitutional mandate to five years is intended for the next government, not the current one.
"The current mandate of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his parliament is four years. They will serve the full four-year term, and there will be no extension at the federal level. If the term is extended to five years, it will commence with the next government," stated the director of the Presidency.
Several prominent Somali political figures, including former President Sheikh Sharif and four former Prime Ministers, are currently in a consultation meeting organized by federal government leaders in Mogadishu.
The director further emphasized the government's willingness to listen to different perspectives on election structures, affirming the President's commitment to governing through consultation and consensus-building.
A month ago, the National Consultative Council, comprising federal leaders, four regional leaders, and the mayor of Mogadishu, agreed to introduce direct elections as early as next year. They also unified the election schedules and endorsed establishing a presidential system for the country. Which also means that Federal and state elections are held at the same time.
The leaders agreed that one-person-one-vote elections would take place once every five years. The local council elections will be the first to take place on June 30 of next year, followed by regional parliamentary and leadership elections on November 30. Additionally, the leaders agreed that only two political parties would compete for power, while the current political parties law does not impose any limit on the number of parties.
In May, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Hassan Ali Kheire, and Abdiwali Ali Gaas, along with other political figures, expressed concerns about the decisions made by the NCC, warning that they could potentially threaten the unity of Somalia.