Mogadishu (SD) – Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble today said all political candidates have the right to assemble and travel anywhere in the country.

Somali Prime Minister Roble made the remarks at a ceremony where he received a report from the Gedo Regional Reconciliation Commission.

“Every Somali candidate has the right to be protected as a citizen, to have his or her opinion protected, to have the right to travel from one city to another. I am informing immigration authorities, security agencies, the police and NISA, that I have received a lot of reports that people have been blocked in various places, we will not tolerate that and anyone who does so will be prosecuted.” Said Roble.

The Prime Minister noted that passenger flights to and from Kismayo and Garbaharey could not be stopped. directing Civil Aviation Authorities to share all information associated with any blocked flights.

Adding “No one can be stopped at airports. I urge all airlines to contact me directly if this happens again. I will take action. It is a constitutional right and we will not allow anyone to violate it.”

The PM’s statement comes after about 40 people were blocked at Mogadishu airport on the 8th of this month, heading to Garbaharey, the capital of Gedo region. NISA authorities at the airport later explained they were investigating two of the passengers.

The Somali government has reportedly issued a secret order to the country’s airlines, requiring all passengers on route to Garbaharey first go through security screening.

Garbaharey is one of the constituencies designated for the upcoming parliamentary elections, and is heavily contested by President Farmajo and the Jubaland administration led by Ahmed Madobe.

Mr. Mohamed Hussein Roble called on the Gedo Regional Reconciliation committee to monitor the implementation of the recommendations submitted to his office.