Hiiraan Online
Saturday August 17, 2019
KISMAYO (HOL) - Authorities in Jubbaland Friday acceded to pressure from the international community to ease election rules to allow for registration of more presidential candidates.
Sources privy to the developments surrounding Friday talks intimated to Hiiraan Online the electoral body (JIBIEC) ceded ground following coercion by top UN, AU and IGAD officials to reopen the registration of presidential candidates in what will lead to extension of presidential election timelines.
According to the source, candidates who were not registered in the first round which closed July 26 will now have three days to submit their application for consideration by Jubbaland Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (JBIEC).
In a statement following the visit to Kismayu, the UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) said the officials called for resolution of pending disputes while warning ‘if unresolved, could have a destabilizing effect on Jubaland, at a time when preserving unity and stability is of vital importance’.
“The AU, IGAD and UN representatives reiterated the need for a single, agreed electoral process, according to the Jubaland Constitution and consistent with the federal Provisional Constitution,” the statement read in part.
Madobe had on Thursday turned away top Ethiopian intelligence and military officials reportedly sent at the behest of President Mohamed Farmaajo to negotiate opening of talks surrounding the elections.
The re-opening of registration which will run for three days means the elections which were set for August 19 will now have to be moved to Thursday August 22.
It was not immediately clear if the talks Friday explored the question of the parallel parliament ‘sworn in’ Wednesday by opposition groups.