09 November 2021
Former Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has spoken out against the delay in the country’s elections, verbally attacking outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has stated that there an agreement to hold elections every four years, and the presidency is a public institution shared by all Somalis.
He also described it as unfortunate that the Farmaajo remained in office, as his time in office has officially finished, noting that this was unconstitutional.
“The country has agreed to hold elections every four years. The presidency is shared by all Somalis, but no one should be holding on to it,” said Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
He added: “On February 8, 2017, I left the presidency as president but I returned home that night as a private citizen. It is not necessary to hold on to presidency when your term is over, it is critical to observe that rule.”
Presidential candidate Hassan Sheikh Mohamud continued to call for the country’s elections to be expedited, to take advantage of the remaining time.
Finally, he expressed his appreciation for the ongoing efforts led by the Somali government in the run-up to the elections.
Somalia’s 2021 election has faced numerous delays which has almost caused an outright civil war.