FACTBOX-Old faces compete for presidency of turbulent Somalia | Politics

Thirty-six candidates are competing on Sunday in Somalia’s long-pending presidential election, to be decided by parliament in a heavily-secured airport hangar, given the impossibility of a popular vote in the dysfunctional and violent nation . Two former presidents and a regional leader are strong contenders. There is only one female candidate.

History is plagued by civil war since 1991, Horn of Africa The nation is struggling to rebuild institutions in the event of a bloody insurgency by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Qaeda. Shababy Militants, who control large areas of the countryside.

rift between the president Mohamed abdullahi Mohamedwhose attempt to extend the presidency was thwarted by parliament last year, and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Robal has divided the security services. This has distracted from the fight against Ali Shababy And the gun fight between the factions started.

On election Sunday, the country’s bicameral federal parliament, which includes a 275-member lower house and a 54-member Senate, will simultaneously elect a new president in multiple rounds of voting.

In the absence of a functioning state, the voting system is based on a power-sharing formula. Somalia’s four largest clans Each has 61 seats in parliament, while the smaller clans Share the remaining 31. The seats in the Senate are elected by the states. The Organizing Committee of Parliament has asked an already existing one African Union Peacekeeping forces guard the hangar in Mogadishu. Last month, the pickkeepers clashed with the local police during the election of the Speaker of the Upper and Lower Houses.

Who is likely to win? critics of Mohamed won those races last month, suggesting he does not enjoy popular support among lawmakers and may not retain his position.

There have been differences with MPs from the states of Jubland and Puntland. Mohamed on their attempts to centralize power, so they are likely to line up behind an opposition figure, while those Southwest The state is believed to support the incumbent. Analysts say that the two former presidents, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed (2009-2012) and Hassan Sheikh Mohammed (2012-2017), are the favourites.

Ahmed, East Islamictook over as head of a Western-backed transitional government in 2009, founded the National Army and helped propel all Shababy from Mogadishu. Mohamed, a former peace activist and educationist, was accused by donors of not doing enough to fight corruption while in office.

Close contenders and potential king-maker in the second round of voting are former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire, who served from 2017–2020, and Puntland region president Saeed Abdullahi Deny. In past elections, rival candidates have accused each other of bribing MPs. Former Foreign Minister Fauzia Youssef Adam is the only woman in the race, but is regarded as an outsider.

why is it important? in February International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that its nearly $400 million budget support program would not be extended until legislative and presidential elections are completed by the middle of this month.

The government cannot fund its budget or pay its troops without outside support and Somalia It is going through the worst drought in 40 years.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)