Farmaajo to travel to Dhusamareb for talks with FMS leaders

 President Mohamed Farmaajo is expected to travel to Dhusamareb today for a meeting with regional presidents who have been in the town for over a week.

Sources within the president’s office have confirmed with HOL that Farmajo’s security team has already reached the central Somalia town ahead of his arrival. Dhusamareb is the capital of Galmudug state.

The president’s visit to Dhusamareb follows a call last week by Somalia’s Federal Member State leaders for a meeting with Federal Government leadership to iron out electoral issues.

Prime Minister Hassan Khaire arrived in Dhusamareb on Tuesday.

The two sides are expected to deliberate on the fate of the parliamentary and presidential elections. The nation’s electoral commission said that one-person-one-vote could not happen this year.

The National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) chairperson Halima Yarey told parliament in late June that the commission needed at least 13 months to prepare a credible poll where Somalis can cast their vote individually.

The FMS leaders have called for a politically negotiated electoral model to ensure the elections on time and within constitutional timelines.

Parliament’s term will end on December 27th, while the president’s mandate expires on February 8th, 2021.