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Somali Council of Ministers approves NCC's election agreement amidst opposition
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    Thursday June 8, 2023

    Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali Council of Ministers has given its seal of approval to the political agreement reached by the National Consultative Council in Mogadishu last week, despite facing opposition from senior political figures in the country.

    During the weekly meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Thursday, he instructed his cabinet to prepare the necessary legislation to enforce the agreement swiftly.

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    The Cabinet of Ministers emphasized that any amendments to the constitution must adhere to chapter 15 of the country's existing constitution.

    The National Consultative Council, which includes the federal leaders, including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, as well as four regional leaders and the mayor of Mogadishu, agreed to reshape the country's political system after four days of meetings in the capital, Mogadishu.

    They introduced direct elections as early as the next year, unified the election schedules, and endorsed establishing a presidential system for the country.

    In a departure from clan-based power sharing, the leaders agreed that one-person-one-vote elections would take place once every five years. The local council elections will be the first to take place on June 30 of next year. This will be followed that year by regional parliamentary and regional leadership elections on November 30, the communique read.

    The leaders have agreed that only two political parties will compete for power in the country. The current political parties law does not limit the number of political parties.

    A group of prominent politicians, including a former President and Prime Ministers, has opposed the decisions made during the recently concluded National Consultative Council meeting.

    In a joint communiqué released last week, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Hassan Ali Kheire, Abdiwali Ali Gaas, former South West President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, and Dr. Abdinur Sheikh Mohamed, Hon Abdukhadir Osoble, and Dr. Abdinur Abdulle Mohamed highlighted concerns that the Council's decisions could potentially jeopardize the unity of the Somali nation.

    The politicians argue that several provisions in the agreement violate the country's laws and the existing power-sharing agreement that the Somali people have previously endorsed.



     





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