Elections for one of the hotly contested parliamentary seats in Adado city was yesterday held with a key contestant disputing the manner in which it was held.
Long serving MP Mrs. Asha Haji Elmi who was to be one of the contestants did not participate citing interference by Galmudug head of State Abdikarim Guled.
The seat recently dominated headlines after it was previously allocated for women but later the men contestants came calling for it leading to a tussle that dominated local headlines.
Asha accused the Galmudug head of State Abdikarim Guled as well as the State Electoral team Chairman of colluding to lock her out of the race despite local elders allocating the seat for women.
“It was clear in President Abdikarim Guled’s response to the US envoy to Somalia that he did not want me take the seat. He cited me being a long serving MP as the reason I should not be given the seat and this is an obstacle placed only my way since most of those elected or to be elected are long serving MPs,” she said.
Asha now says Guleid has trashed the rights and dignity of the local elders whose role he has assumed after usurping their powers.
The outgoing MP said her name appeared in the list of contestants despite withdrawing from the race in protest.
She also disputed the delegate list saying it had no blessings of their clan elder.
“It is a pity that the delegates were referred to the delegates of so and so. Delegates stand for the parliamentary seat but not individual candidates, those who elected the MP today were allied to one candidate,” Asha Said.
She added her clan had four parliamentary seats and as a requirement was supposed to set aside one for women as per the requirements of the National Leadership Forum resolutions.
