MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s opposition leaders are divided over response to a decision taken by a government-appointed committee that has removed 34 members of the electoral boards said to be allies of the outgoing president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.
It comes after a committee designated to investigate allegations that the electoral boards were packed with loyalists of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo announced it had removed 34 members found to be state employees, intelligence agents and allies of the outgoing president.
Some of the opposition leaders, including Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Abdulqadir Osoble and Mahad Salad welcomed the move and described it as a step taken forward, urging the public to cooperate with the prime minister to ensure elections are held within the agreed timeline.
Others, including Abdirahman Abdishakur, who has long been a vocal critic of the outgoing president, said the decision has changed nothing and only half of those accused of being Farmajo’s allies were removed.
There are growing fears that the government’s decision to remove only 34 out of 67 members of the electoral boards said to be soldiers and state employees could trigger fresh tensions, just a few weeks after the federal government and regional state presidents agreed to hold elections within two months.
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