Somali presidential aspirants start $30,000 candidacy process

After the announcement of a new date for Somalia’s presidential election on Wednesday, the electoral commission has started registering presidential aspirants.

The filing fee for participation in the presidential election is $30,000 USD and already, a number of people have registered to vie for the presidency.

Local media Shabelle News reported on Thursday that former president of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Sheikh Sharif is among those who have registered to be candidates.

Incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and about twenty other aspirants had expressed interest in participating in the presidential election which has been postponed four times.

The reason for the postponements was due to the delay in the parliamentary elections which were marred by voter irregularities, corruption and election reforms.

The deadline for registering as a candidate is Sunday, January 29, 2017.

283 Members of Parliament took their oaths of office a day before the previous December 28 presidential election date while the elections for both houses of parliament were ongoing due to the increase in seats of the Upper House in contravention with the country’s constitution.

The United Nations, African Union, European Union and international partners have expressed concern over the decision by Somalia’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) to add 18 seats to the Upper House.

Members of the two houses of parliament will elect the president on February 8 if the parliamentary elections are completed.