Somalia's unprecedented electoral fraud

The Union of Presidential Candidates in Somalia has officially boycotted ongoing parliamentary elections in the country, in what could be Somalia's unprecedented electoral looting and fraud.

Somalia's steered election rigging which defies opponents from contesting and allows supporters to get parliamentary seats will likely irk communal violence, said the union. 

As many independent observers even call the parliamentary selection as "vote for hire scheme”, local clan militia build-up is gaining more support as the only way to stop the rigging.

Clan elders held a press conference in Mogadishu to speak out about how fraudulently their Lower House seat was taken over by Farmaajo-favored candidate, Yasin Farey, through "vote for hire scheme”.

They confirmed that none of the legitimate clan delegates were in Dhusamareb to vote and vowed to hold a parallel election in Mogadishu during this week.

Galmudug's indirect election team held a controversial vote in Dhusamareb claiming the acting Commander of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Yassin Abdullahi Mohamud (Yasin Farey) as the winner.

Despite the election rule requires security officers and civil servants to resign three weeks before running for an elected office, Mr. Farey still occupies his NISA portfolio.

Mr. Farey is among five individuals mentioned in the military court lawsuit by the family of the disappeared NISA employee, Ikran Tahlil Farah. According to the court filing seen by Horn Observer, Mr. Farey is wanted for enforced disappearance and possible murder of Ms. Farah.

As the election of the Lower House begin in Somalia, the process was marred by irregularities, fraud and blockage of legitimate runners. It comes as the leaders of the Somali Civil society urged the Somalia Government and its Federal Member States to hold transparent elections.

In its election briefing last week, a Mogadishu-based think-tank, the Heritage Institute warned Somalia’s outgoing president Farmaajo that a rigged election or a short-sighted power grab can only lead to conflict and violence.