Suleiman Sabdow
MOGADISHU-Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has jetted back to the country after two days of State visit to Qatar Doha.
Farmajo in his visit met with Qatar’s emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the capital of the tiny Gulf Arab country on Tuesday, his office said and that they discussed how to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
In a Tweet posted on the official Twitter handle of the president, Villa Somalia said the two leaders discussed aspects of strengthening cooperation relations between the two countries in the fields of economic investment and sports to achieve aspirations of the brotherly peoples.
After the conclusion of fruitful official visit to #Qatar, H.E @M_Farmaajo & the Somali delegation have arrived in Mogadishu. The President thanked the gov't & the people of Qatar led by HH Emir @TamimBinHamad for their hospitality & support towards our historical ????? ties. pic.twitter.com/QT0MQyfYns
— Villa Somalia (@TheVillaSomalia) December 2, 2021
President Farmajo officiated a prayer meeting with several other visiting Arab leaders in the opening of World FIFA Arab cup which began on Tuesday in the capital Qatar ahead of 2022 World FIFA cup 2022.
The president was accompanied by first lady Zeinab Abdi Maalim, Foreign Affairs minister Abdisaid Muse Ali, Minister of sports and youth Affairs Hamze Said Hamze and chairman of Somalia Sports Association Abdiqani Said .
Farmajo’s visit comes amid a heightened and growing concerns in Somalia over the management and handling of the ongoing parliamentary elections which has elicited various reactions from different quarters including the international community.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had on Sunday in his official residence met with council of presidential candidates to quell tension amid increasing claims of a flawed electoral process with council vowing to boycott the elections.
PM Roble assured the opposition of presidential candidates of ensuring that the integrity of the elections will be upheld and every candidate will be accorded their rights to contest in the poll.
Section of opposition leaders accuse president Farmajo of having a big hand in influencing the election results and called for the revoking of results in areas where opposition candidates where barred from contesting.
However, the council of opposition presidential candidates made good their threats to boycott the ongoing parliamentary elections in Somalia alleging that the elections have been hijacked and that there are wanton corruption and malpractices in the exercise.
Addressing the press on Tuesday evening in the capital Mogadishu , the 15 member council said the ongoing House of representatives elections could plunge the volatile country into unprecedented chaos and mayhem if their concerns about the transparency of the process are not addressed immediately.
Somalia’s electoral commission said in a statement that it is investigating alleged parliamentary election riggings in Baidoa and Galmudug State after several candidates lodged a formal complaint with them
The chairman of the Somali Electoral Commission, Mohamed Hassan Irro in Baidoa, told journalists that the results of some seats have been suspended in the thick of pending probe on their legitimacy.
