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          Somali Presidential Campaign About Politics, Not the Public

   by Gabe Joselow

   MOGADISHU -- After seating a new parliament, Somali political leaders
   are turning their focus on the next challenge: the election of a
   president. The campaign season is in full swing, complete with
   allegations of vote buying and corruption.
   A cafe across from Somalia's National Theater in Mogadishu has become a
   gathering place for Somali intellectuals, students and politicians
   since security has improved in the capital.
   The country's political transition and the election of a new president
   is the topic of conversation for many sitting in the shade and sipping
   coffee brewed in a coal-fired espresso machine.
   Omar Ali Sheikh, an economist and long-time Mogadishu resident, says
   his choice for president is incumbent Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed who
   has led the Transitional Federal Government since 2009.
   "He [has] experience now, what to do next," he says. "But the coming
   one, he don't know what to do, or where to start, he have to deal with
   that involvement. To learn that involvement takes him time, so we have
   not that time, we are already 21 years in this problem."
   But Ali will not have a say in the election. The vote will be conducted
   by the new parliament, after the appointment of a new speaker, expected
   some time next week.
   Somali political analyst Abdiakim Aynte says the members of the current
   administration, including President Sharif, have a strong advantage,
   having overseen the political transition and being involved in the
   selection of the new parliament.
   He notes that the president, the prime minister and the speaker of the
   parliament have all been accused of abusing their power.
   "These are the three incumbent leaders who are, at the same time,
   running for president," said Aynte. "And, they have been alleged to be
   engaged in wholesale corruption in trying to use the public media and
   trying to use the government institutions as a tool for campaigning."
   But Prime Minister Abdiwelli Mohammed Ali argues that his work in
   office, overseeing strong security gains across the country and the
   difficult political transition, prove his success as a leader.
   "If you had been here 10 months ago, you will see the difference of
   today, this is due to the fact that my government worked very hard to
   make sure that the country has been liberated, stabilized and [we]
   established a constitution for the country," says Ali.
   But the incumbents do have plenty of competition. Some 60 people have
   declared their candidacy to be Somalia's next president.
   One presidential hopeful, former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi
   Mohamed, better known by his nickname "Farmajo" enjoys strong public
   support, but has a rocky history with the current administration, after
   being forced to resign as a condition of an agreement to end the
   political transition.
   Casting himself as an outsider, Farmajo uses this as his campaign
   pitch:
   "There is an old saying that the definition of insanity is that if you
   do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. If
   the members of parliament elect or select the current leadership,
   nothing will change," he says.
   Other outside candidates also suffer from a lack of resources.
   Presidential campaigns around the world need money to succeed, but in
   Somalia, political insiders say vote buying is seen as another path to
   victory.
   Allegations of corruption and influence peddling have plagued the
   transition process. The United Nations warned earlier this month of
   reports of politicians using intimidation to influence the selection of
   members of parliament.
   But political analyst Aynte says another factor, even more important
   than money in Somalia, is clan affiliation.
   "Still you cannot rule out the factor of clan here," he says. "Still
   you can argue that money plays a role. But I would argue that among
   everything, clan plays a critical factor in this election and it will
   play a huge role in this election."
   Aynte says it is important to pay attention the selection of the next
   speaker. If he or she comes from the Hawiyye clan of President Sharif
   then it could be that another clan will win the presidency.
   Aynte will not make any predictions, saying only, "This election will
   be close and it will be tough."
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/somali_presidential_campaign_about_po
   litics_not_the_public/1492121.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/somali_presidential_campaign_about_politics_not_the_public/1492121.html