The Force Commander of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Lt General Osman Noor Soubagleh visited Adaado, the capital of the interim Galmudug Administration, Sunday, as part of preparations for troop deployment to ensure security during the upcoming electoral process.
General Soubagleh said AMIISOM would provide security during the electoral process.
“We’ve come to ensure that the electoral process is smooth, and that is part of the reason we are in this country. We know there is no insecurity in Adaado and there is no enemy within, but still we should be in the election areas,” Gen. Soubagleh said.
The election of Somalia’s Lower house of parliament is expected to kick of this week, followed by the election of a new Upper House and presidential elections before the end of November.
Galmudug, one of the federal regional administrations of Somali formed in June 2015, has not been an area with AMISOM presence, thus safeguarding the electoral process will be a demonstration of the regional peacekeeper’s ability to maintain peace nationwide. Soubagleh said AMISOM forces would work alongside Somalis in the effort.
“AMISOM is in the country to help the Somali governments reach the entire nation, and that is part of our responsibility and not an extra duty. We will be working together with the Somali forces and all the security agencies,” Soubagleh’s said, noting that the purpose of AMISOM presence is to help the Somali government reach all parts of the country,
The interim Galmudug administration has finished the process of electing its representatives to the Upper House of the Federal parliament, however Galmudug is still in the process of selecting members to the 36 electoral colleges expected to elect members of the lower house of the federal parliament.