By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
SOMALIA (Dawan Africa) Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday questioned the timing of an opposition protest held in Mogadishu, as direct one-person, one-vote elections were taking place in parts of South West State and amid planned talks between the government and opposition groups.
In a video released by the Somali Presidency, Hassan Sheikh addressed the political situation in Mogadishu, the South West State elections and the government’s national consultation initiative.
“In Mogadishu, it was announced that a protest would take place today. First of all, holding today’s protest while a major election was taking place in one part of the country raises questions,” the president said.
He also questioned why the protest had been scheduled at a time when the government had called for preliminary talks aimed at political dialogue.
“The reason why a protest was scheduled for today, when the Somali government had called for a preliminary dialogue meeting, also raises particular questions,” he said.
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Responding to the questions he raised, Hassan Sheikh said the protest aimed to disrupt Somalia, although he added that the government had allowed it to proceed peacefully.
“The government understood the situation and allowed the protest to be held,” he said, adding that Somali citizens had also understood the circumstances.
The president urged opposition politicians to participate in the national consultation process in good faith.
“We say to Somali politicians: come with goodwill and come with a clear purpose,” he said.
His remarks came amid heightened political tensions in Mogadishu linked to opposition protests and disputes over Somalia’s political and electoral process, while South West State held direct elections for local councils and the regional assembly.