14/08/2012

SOMALIA'S (S)ELECTIONS


As you may know, Somalia is going through its very unique process of political selection this month, a first move in years to attempt to renew all its political elite.

Somalilandpress just published today the full list of Presidential candidates. One is my former colleague from the BBC, just upt to last week editor of the BBC Somali Service, Yusuf Garad Omar.

Here is the list below:
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MOGADISHU — Somalia released a list of more than 21 candidates who have qualified to run in this month’s presidential election, including incumbent Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and his current prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.

The list, which some say is double that figure, includes the son of Somalia’s last Dictator-president General Mohamed Siad Bare and the current speaker of parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden. New players include the journalist and former head of the BBC Somali services, Yusuf Garad Omar.

In less than a week the yet to be formed 275-member parliament will decide the country’s president in post-transition period. The arbitration committee tasked to choose the 225 legislators based on a tribal power-sharing system known as 4.5 formula have so far submitted only 184 names.

Deadline to form the parliament has already expired and presidential election is also expected to face its own delays and setbacks.

The 135-member committee said the process was hampered by what they said was state interference in a bid to dominate influential groups to gain wider political support before elections.
This week they protested a ‘government interference’ in their selection process and said it was making their decision very difficult. The government denied trying to influence the process.

As a part of an agreement by Somali leaders, the formation of the parliament will help end the transitional mandate in Somalia after two decades. Once selected, the lawmakers will elect a speaker, two deputy speakers and a president.

Below, we list the major candidates:

1: Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, the current President and member of Abgal sub-clan of Hawiye.
2: Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas, current PM and member of Majertein sub-clan of Darod.
3: Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, former Finance Minister of Somalia, and the current Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, a member of Ashraaf sub-clan of Digil and Mirifle.
4: Maslah Mohamed Siad Bare, the son of Somalia’s last dictator and member of the Marehan sub-clan of Darod.
5: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmajo”, former prime minister and member of the Marehan sub-clan of Darod.
6: Abdullahi Ahmed Adow, former Finance Minister of Somalia and Ambassador to the United States, born in Barawa, he is a member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan of Hawiye.
7: Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, a senior administration member of Mogadishu University, member of the Abgal sub-clan of Hawiye.
8: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a teacher/researcher, a graduate of Somali National University and member of the Abgal sub-clan of Hawiye.
9: Prof. Ahmed Ismail Samatar, writer, professor and former dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship at Macalester College, he is member of the Samaroon sub-clan of Dir. He is the only candidate who originally hail from Somaliland.
10: Haji Mohamed Yassin, Real Estate businessman who holds a degree in public administration and member of Majertein sub-clan of Darod. His businesses operate in a number of African countries but started in Zimbabwe.
11: Abdirahman Abdulshakur Warsame, a lawyer who graduated from International University of Africa and National University of Malaysia and a member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan of Hawiye.
12: Mohamed Nur Galal, a Major General, who served under dictator Mohamed Siad Bare as the intelligence chief. He is a member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan of Hawiye.
13: Hassan Abshir Farah, a member of the Majertein sub-clan, he served as the mayor of Mogadishu and prime minister. He also holds a law degree from the Somali National University.
14: Prof. Ali Mohamed Gedi, a veterinarian turned politician. He was the prime minister under president Abdillahi Yusuf and is a member of the Abgal sub-clan of Hawiye.
15: Abdiwahid Elmi Gonjeh, little known politician who temporarily held the prime minister post after the ouster of Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. He is a member of the Majertein sub-clan of Darod.
16: Salad Ali Jelle, a member of the Abgal and the former Deputy Minister of Defense.
17: Dr Hussein Khalif Haji Jama “Atosh”, a member of the Majertein sub-clan, he is a banker and new comer to the politics.
18: Yusuf Garad Omar Ahmed, a member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan, is the former head of BBC Somali Service in London and a multilingual journalist.
19: Dr. Said Issa Mohamud, received a PhD in Chemical Science in Mogadishu where he later taught science classes. He also has a degree in Political Leadership from the University of Southern Maine. He is a member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan of Hawiye.
20: Osman Haji Omar “Falko”, a general and the former deputy chief of Somali Police under Siad Bare. He is a member of the Mursade sub-clan of Hawiye.
21: Dr. Mohamed Mohamud Guled “Gama’dheere”, the former interior minister and a fluent speaker of Somali, Arabic, Italian, Romanian and English. Member of the Habar Gedir sub-clan, he has Bachelor’s, Master’s and PHD degrees in the fields of Economics and Agriculture.
Most Somalis believe the current president will reclaim the seat easily, who has wide support among all Somali lawmakers and clans.

Somalilandpress

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