MOGADISHU (SD) – Somalis will be electing new leaders in August thanks to an election agreement signed by Somali prime minister and the leaders of the regional states in Somali capital.

The leaders of Puntland, Jubbaland, Southwest, Galmudug Hirshabelle states as well as Mogadishu mayor along with Prime Minister Mohamed Roble have put pen to paper at 4 pm local time following six days of electoral talks at the airforce hangar located at the Aden Adde Airport compound.

According to a communique issued this evening, the leaders agreed to the contested names of Federal Indirect Elections Team (FIET) shall be submitted to the Prime Minister who will direct for their replacement.

The Federal Indirect Elections Team (FIET) and its regional level counterparts will prepare elections calendar within 60 days.

Leaders agreed that security of the elections will be the responsibility of Somali Police Force and AMISOM and will be headed by the Prime Minister.  

A nine-member committee led by the Prime Minister will draw membership from Somali Police Force and AMISOM.

Gedo and Somaliland issues

The leaders also put to an end Gedo issue which was one of three contentious points that led to the delay of the parliamentary and presidential elections.

Jubbaland and the federal government were at loggerheads over Gedo region in southern Somalia following the deployment of elite troops in the region by the federal government, a move that drew condemnation by the opposition and Puntland state.

The communique has called for the formation committee which will be drawn from from all the federal member states except Jubbaland.

The committee will be constituted and tasked with nominating a commissioner and deputy for Gerbaharey district within 30 days. The committee will submit the names to Jubbaland president Ahmed Madobe for appointment.

According to the agreement, Police officers from African Union mission in Somalia (Amisom) and Somali police forces will be stationed in Gabarharey town to man the security of the electoral delegates and the elections.

The leaders of the federal and regional states agreed to hand over responsible for the elections of Somaliland representatives to PM Roble who will work ‘on the recommendation of the Speaker of the Upper House and the Deputy Prime Minister.

The agreement penned at 4 pm local time by Federal Member State leaders and leaders of the Federal Government led by Prime Minister Mohamed Roble allowed Senate speaker Abdi Hashi to appoint 4 members to SEIT}, one member to FEIT and one member to the Dispute Resolution Committee.