President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has been accused of holding partial electoral talks after regional leaders from Puntland and Jubbaland failed to show up.
The newest round of talks between Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and Federal Member States (FMS) kicked off on March 22.
However, apart from Farmaajo, other leaders at the meeting were those allied to his administration.
These included Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and Banadir Regional Authority’s Governor Omar Filish.
Others were HirShabelle’s President Ali Guudlaawe, Galmudug’s President Ahmed Abdi Karie Qoorqoor, and Southwest’s President Abdiaziz Hassan Laftagareen.
Opposition candidates, who have continuously agitated for invitation to the talks, were conspicuously missing too.
This development is unlikely to please international partners who have been at the forefront in calling for resumption of talks between all stakeholders.