MOGADISHU: Somalia's president battled his predecessor for the top job on Sunday in long-overdue elections in the troubled Horn of Africa nation, as it confronts an Islamist insurgency and the threat of famine.
After hours of voting involving 36 candidates, the complicated election process entered its third and final round, with President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmajo, facing off against his predecessor Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a repeat of the pair's contest in 2017.The vote, which has been dogged by claims of irregularities, is expected to draw a line under a political crisis that has lasted well over a year, after Farmajo's term ended in February 2021 without an election.
In addition to a months-long feud between Farmajo and Roble, the central government has also been embroiled in disputes with certain states, slowing down the voting process and frustrating citizens. "At the end of the day, I think it's ... predominantly about alliances and relationships rather than concrete ideas," he told AFP.
As the delays have dragged on, the country has also been in the grip of surging inflation and a devastating drought that threatens to drive millions into famine.
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