Somalia: Election delayed for a month

By Mohamed Adam

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - The electoral commission in Somalia has announced Monday that the presidential election that was supposed to take place at the end of October has been delayed for a month.

The process, which is to last a few weeks, was expected to begin this past weekend with the election of upper and lower house members.

The latter are to be elected by some 14,000 delegates while the upper house is to be designated by regional states. Both houses will elect the new president.

But voting did not take place due to various disputes regarding the process.

- Former president will run

Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed announced Monday his candidacy in the presidential election.

“I will run for the presidency, I want to make Somalia great and make sure the security of our people those who live in the country or out of the country,” said the former president in a press conference in Mogadishu.

Sheikh Sharif returned in Somalia last Thursday for the first time in four years. He was president between 2009 and 2012.

Currently, there are 10 presidential candidates.