Hassan Ali Khaire, the Prime Minister of Somalia, has clarified that the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has no plans to postpone the elections scheduled for 2020/2021.
Late last month, the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) told parliament that the country was not prepared to hold elections as previously scheduled.
Somalia was to hold elections in November 2020 followed by Presidential Polls in February 2021.
However, the NIEC, through its Chairperson, Ms. Halima Ismail Ibrahim, indicated that it would be impossible to hold the elections on time.
Instead, NIEC indicated that the first polls should take place in March 2021 followed by presidential elections in August 2021.
However, opposition parties and politicians interpreted the decision as a move by the government of President Mohamed Farmaajo to extend its term in office.
During a cabinet meeting held today, Prime Minister Khaire told ministers to work based on the assumption that the term of the present administration would not be extended.
Khaire also insists that a term extension could lead to a renewed round of clashes and chaos in the country, which is recovering from decades of political instability and insecurity.