2021 Elections in Somalia

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In 2021, elections for the Federal Parliament and subsequently the President of Somalia were due to take place, following a national agreement to reschedule them from the previous year due to COVID-19. According to the Constitution of Somalia, the President is elected by the Federal Parliament.

The elections for the Senate of the Federal Parliament concluded on the 13th of November. Elections for the House of the People are ongoing.

The scheduling of the elections and their execution have been subject to controversy.

International Partners[]

In December 2019 the International Partners released a joint press statement urging that the future election model of Somalia should:

  • Respect the Constitution;
  • Ensure that the federal elections are held on time in late 2020/early 2021, without extension of the terms of the Executive or Parliament;
  • Ensure fair representation of all Somali communities;
  • Afford the Somali people the opportunity to directly elect their representatives through "one person, one vote";
  • Include a role for political parties in the elections;
  • Guarantee a minimum of 30 per cent representation for women in the Federal Parliament;
  • Enable the broadest possible participation including of internally displaced persons;
  • Enjoy wide support among all Somali stakeholders;
  • Be capable of being implemented effectively and securely and of attracting sufficient funding through application of these principles;
  • Result in peaceful election of leaders who have broad legitimacy, and
  • Respect the mandate of the National Independent Electoral Commission.[1]

International Partners include: African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Italy, Kenya, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United Nations and United States.[1]

Dhusamareb Summit[]

In August 2020, after a summit in Dhusamareb, attended by the President of Somalia, three state leaders and the mayor of Mogadishu, an election model based on constituency caucuses was agreed on. As part of the agreement, each caucus of 303 delegates will elect an MP who will get a seat in parliament, and the MPs will then elect a president. Puntland and Jubaland leaders were not part of the deal that was reached in Dhusamareb as they did not attend the summit. The deal still has to be approved by the Lower House (House of the People) of Parliament, however.[2][3][4]

September agreement[]

In September 2020 the Federal Government of Somalia agreed with member states to hold parliamentary elections on 1 December 2020.[5] President Mohamed and the Five Federal Members States presidents, Said Abdullahi Dani of Puntland, Ahmed Abdi Karie of Galmudug, Mohamed Abdi Ware of Hirshabelle, Abdiaziz Laftagareen of South West and Ahmed Madobe of Jubbaland plus Omar Mohamud Mohamed, the Mayor of Mogadishu agreed on October 1 to an indirect election model, allowing 101 delegates from the clans to elect members of the parliament. The agreed timeline showed that 54 senators of the Upper House and 275 MPs of the Lower House will be elected before end of 2020. A joint session of the bicameral parliament is scheduled to elect president.[6]

In November 2020 the accused President Mohamed of "bypassing the electoral law by stacking the poll committee with his allies".[7]

Opposition candidates including Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused the Federal Government of Somalia of selecting National Intelligence and Security Agency members and civil servants loyal to the president to the . The international community raised concerns about the political standoff. Abdirashid Hashi, an analyst at the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, said the Somali government needed to show stronger leadership.[8][9][10]

In November 2020 Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe accused President Mohamed of violating the September election deal in which the Federal Government of Somalia had promised to withdraw Somali National Army from Gedo region, handing administration to Kismayo.[8]

In December 2020 opposition supporters marched and demonstrated in Mogadishu denouncing President Mohamed or delays in elections for both chambers of parliament. After hearing that Turkey planned to send a shipment of weapons and ammunition, including 1,000 G3 assault rifles and 150,000 bullets to Harma’ad, a special unit in Somalia's police, between December 16 and 18, opposition party leaders wrote to the Turkish ambassador in Somalia urging the Turkish government to cancel the shipment, fearing that Mohamed would use it to 'hijack' the upcoming elections.[11]

On 26 December 2020 several women were shot at by NISA and police, arrested at gunpoint and detained during a peaceful anti-government protest in Mogadishu. In response the Union of Presidential Candidates demanded an apology from President Mohamed and ask for clarification of the governments position on freedom of assembly.[12]

Constitutional crisis and violence[]

Somalia experienced a constitutional crisis when the election date of February 8, 2021 lapsed without a vote occurring.[13] Negotiations between the incumbent president Farmaajo and failed to result in an agreement.[13]

Gunfire and mortar shelling occurred in central Mogadishu on 17 February in response to an opposition march in the city.[13][14][15] Former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claimed their hotel was attacked on the eve of the planned protest ordered by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.[13][14][15]

Parliamentary elections[]

Elections to the Federal Parliament began in mid-to-late 2021, following agreements in May and June of the same year.[16]

Senate[]

Main article: Somalian Senate

The Federal States began their election of Senators on July 29th.[16] This process concluded on November 13th, with Galmadug state returning its two Senators.[17]

The resulting membership of the Senate fell short of the 30% quota for women.[17]

House of the People[]

Elections to the lower house of the Federal Parliament were to begin in September 2021, with the intent to conclude them in October, although this deadline was passed.[16] They began on 1st November and were to be concluded by 24 December, but only 30 of the 275 representatives had been elected by this date.[18]

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS JOINT PRESS STATEMENT ON ELECTIONS IN SOMALIA". UNSOM. 19 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Somali leaders strike elections deal". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  3. ^ "Somali leaders agree on election model". Anadolu Agency.
  4. ^ "Somali leaders reach agreement on election model - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  5. ^ "Farmajo shrugs off opponents as opposition intensifies onslaught". Garowe. 7 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Somalia's opposition candidates demand dissolution of electoral teams". Garowe. 27 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Farmajo under more pressure from Somalias opposition candidates". Garowe. 9 December 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Jubaland accuses farmajo of violating election deal in somalia". garowe. 29 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Somalia's opposition candidates demand dissolution of electoral teams". The East African. 27 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Somalia's Indirect Election Delayed by Political Standoff". VOA. 11 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Somalia's opposition urges Turkey not to send arms to police unit". Reuters. 16 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Somali opposition condemns threats against peaceful protesters in Mogadishu". Somali Affairs. 26 December 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d Bearak, Max. "Clashes in Mogadishu throw Somalia's political crisis into a dangerous new phase". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  14. ^ a b "Heavy gunfire, blasts erupt at opposition march in Mogadishu". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  15. ^ a b Sheikh, Abdi (2021-02-19). "Gunfire erupts in Mogadishu as Somali government forces seal off streets". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  16. ^ a b c "Somalia's PM Roble calls on Federal States to start Lower House election".
  17. ^ a b "Somalia's Senate polls concluded after close to 4 months".
  18. ^ Sheikh, Abdi (2021-12-30). "U.N. and partners urge feuding Somalia leaders to reduce tensions". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
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