Opposition Accuses Somali Govt of Breaching Election Deal

The Somali government has called for a one-day forum on March 4, 2021 between President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and leaders of the federal states of Puntland, Jubbaland, Hirshabelle, South West and Galmudug. The meeting will  also include the governor of the Benadir region, which is part of the capital Mogadishu. While the government has said that the forum would "mark the culmination of efforts toward implementing the election agreements and recommendations," the opposition, under the caucus of the Council of Presidential Candidates, said the timing of the meeting was "suspect". The group is planning further talks with Prime Minister Hussein Roble on the same day, seeking to iron out issues that forced it to resort to street protests a few weeks ago. Somalia is in a stalemate over the election dates, after leaders failed to agree on the composition of the election commission and other contentious issues