Speaker Mohamed Mursal of Somalia’s Lower House has denied recent reports by the opposition that President Mohamed Farmaajo is pursuing term extension.
Mursal issued this clarification when speaking to the press.
He says that President Farmaajo is committed to ensuring that the country’s upcoming polls proceed as scheduled.
Lower House Speaker says the President will respect and honor his mandate, which he received from Somalis in 2017 to lead the country for the next four years.
His first term is expected to end in 2020 and the country’s electoral agency, NIEC, has been preparing for the polls.
Wadajir Party and the Forum for National Parties (FNP) have based their campaigns around Farmaajo’s plan to extend his term.
The two, who constitute Somalia’s main opposition, claim that Farmaajo is “reluctant” and “non-committal” about planning for this year’s December elections.
On Wednesday, Mursal issued a shocking statement ruling out future term extensions.