A General who was charged in a military court for alleged links to Alshabaab has become an MP after winning a seat in Mogadishu while in Jowhar a Minister initially disqualified over gunfight is reinstated by state electoral body SIEIT to become MP.
General Cabdi Buur defeated famous musician Farhan Hidig in the Somaliland elections but questions have been raised over the eligibility of a person linked to Alshabaab contesting in the elections with some pointing fingers at the FIEIT’s incompetence.
General Buur had fled to Mogadishu after he was charged by a military court. He had been in exile and out of public life for a long time in Borane Somaliland until his appearance at the elections on Saturday.
Controversy continued to follow FIEIT when it disqualified Youth and Sports Mohamed Abdullah Hussein Nuh after a gunfight that pitted forces loyal to him and those backing his rival Ahmed Cirro. That decision was however disputed by the state electoral body SIET which later reinstated Minister NUH as the winner.
At least three people were injured in the gunfight at a polling station in Jowhar.
FIEIT had called on elders to select new candidates following the incident pointing out electoral anomalies where delegates and candidates disrupted the polling.
The decision has put the two electoral bodies at loggerhead.
The International community has been keenly following the latest development in the Horn of Africa country with Swedish ambassador to Somalia asking for sense to prevail.
“So unfortunate. Decisions of FIEIT must be respected” Mikael Lindvall the Swedish ambassador reacted on his Twitter account.
“Candidates resolving to violence at polling site obviously unacceptable” he added.
The two incidents are likely to put FIEIT under scrutiny in the days to come as Somalia Upper and Lower House elections come nears completion.
International community expresses grave concern over holding of lower house election in HirShabelle won by disqualified candidate
