Somalia’s President Extends Term by Two Years, Drawing Condemnation;
Somalia’s President Extends Term by Two Years, Drawing Condemnation. In a deeply controversial development, Somalia’s president prolonged his own term in office by two years. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a former American citizen known as Farmaajo, declared early Wednesday that he had signed the legislation extending his term, two days after it had ratified by a majority of Somalia’s Parliament despite allegations that the president’s office had orchestrated the referendum.
The step posed the worst-case scenario for UN and Western authorities. Who had shuttled for months between Mr. Mohamed and Somali regional leaders disagreement. About when and how to conduct parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for early February. The US has supplied billions of dollars in assistance to Somalia and waged several airstrikes and military raids against Al Shabab. Similarly, The US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, made those warnings in public on Tuesday. A statement advising Mr. Mohamed that any effort to indefinitely prolong his tenure would be strongly opposed by the US.
European Union’s foreign policy boss, Josep Borrell;
However, The United States is greatly saddened by Somalia’s federal government’s decision to approve a legislative bill. That expands the president’s and Parliament’s terms by two years. Mr. Blinken said, The European Union’s foreign policy boss, Josep Borrell, emphasized the harsh message. Saying the international community would consider a unilateral extension. Hence, The United Nations and international donors pushed the two sides into inconclusive negotiations in the capital, Mogadishu. Those talks have now come to an end as a result of Mr. Mohamed’s expansion of authority.
Critics argue Mr. Mohamed seems to be taking cues from Eritrea’s autocratic president, Isaias Afwerki. According to many Western officials and a former senior Somali government official, the two leaders speak on the phone on a daily basis. Moreover, Mr. Mohamed said that the two-year extension would allow him to implement a one-person, one-vote scheme. The country’s most recent election, held in 2017, has held under an indirect clan-based regime riddled with graft and motivated by at least $20 million in bribes. However, opponents claim that Mr. Mohamed is now using the one-person, one-vote goal to postpone elections.
