Sunday March 28, 2021
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Federal Member State Presidents met at the Airport Hotel in Mogadishu on Saturday to discuss the ongoing political crisis without representatives from the federal government.
All five regional leaders met to discuss the challenges facing the implementation of the September 17 agreement.
Earlier this week, the presidents of Galmudug, South West and Hirshabelle and the governor of Banadir met with President Farmajo and Prime Minister Robleh for several days.
At the same time, President Madobe of Jubaland and President Deni of Puntland skipped those talks. Instead, they met with an alliance of opposition figures that includes presidential candidates and the Senate Speaker. The two regional leaders have called on President Farmajo to resign and argue that he should not chair electoral talks since he is out of his constitutional mandate.
The international community has repeatedly urged Somalia's federal and state leaders to set aside their personal agendas and meet "without preconditions" to solve Somalia's constitutional crisis.
President Farmajo's four-year term expired on February 8 without parliamentary or presidential elections. His primary opponents accuse Farmajo, who is seeking a second term, of attempting to rig the electoral process by packing the electoral boards that select legislators with cronies and supporters. Somalia's President is selected in an indirect vote by lawmakers chosen by delegates made up of mostly clan elders.