A new round of conditions has been stipulated for one of the toughest contests in the forthcoming Somalia presidential polls set for May 15, 2022, after a prolonged delay.
A special parliamentary task force charged with the duty of supervising the polls on Thursday, revealed the new date alongside rules to be strictly adhered to by aspirants, adding that most of the 2017 rules will also be applied.
Committee Chairman Abdikani Mohamed Gelleh, revealed that:
“The most important day is reserved for Sunday, May 15, when the members of both chambers are expected to convene a session at the Big Tent, a large hangar that is situated inside the highly guarded Aden Abdulle Airport, to elect a president.”
The rules stated that all interested candidates must register their interest within the timeframe of May 8 and May 10 to avoid being left out.
Also, after registration, the candidates will be mandated to address a joint session of the two chambers of parliament on May 11 and 12.
Further, aspiring presidential candidates will be required to pay registration fees to the tune of $40,000 ahead of the polls.
Another rule stated that each presidential candidate must have at least 20 legislators or at least one federal member state to put forward their candidature.
After the steps have been duly followed by candidates, the electoral committee will then settle down to prepare for elections within two days.
Due to the long delay of the elections, more candidates joined the race, and at the time the official date was announced, not less than 15 aspirants were recorded.
However, the rules seem to be throwing the enthusiastic contestants off as so far, only one person – former Somalian Foreign Minister Fawzia Yusuf H. Adam, has come forward to register her interest.
This year’s presidential candidature clearance may be the toughest to be faced by aspirants.
The new presidential date coincides with Somalia’s Youth Day, when the Somali Youth League was formed in 1943.