WASHINGTON [SMN] – The United States called Monday on the president and prime minister of Somalia to resolve their “dispute,” so as not to further delay the country’s electoral process, with the African nation’s presidential election scheduled for October 10.
“Cooperation among Somalia’s leaders — particularly President Farmaajo and Prime Minister Roble — is essential to ensure that the country quickly completes its ongoing electoral process,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
“The dispute between President Farmaajo and Prime Minister Roble risks complicating this process and needs to be resolved immediately and peacefully.”
The rivalry between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, popularly known as Farmajo, and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has raised concerns for the country’s stability.
The long-brewing dispute escalated this week when Farmajo suspended Roble’s executive powers, a move the premier rejected as unlawful.
Somalia is due to vote for a president on October 10, but the leaders’ spat threatens to imperil the repeatedly delayed poll and distract from efforts to confront a long-running Islamist insurgency.
The months-long delay has “concerned” Washington, Price said, stressing that any further postponement “increases the potential for violence and plays into the hands of al-Shabaab and other extremist groups seeking to destabilize the country.”
The radical Islamist group Al-Shabaab, whose insurgency was unleashed on Somalia in 2007, control large rural areas and regularly carry out attacks in the capital.
