Who will ensure the Security of Somalia's 2020/21 Election Delegates?

 Wednesday, 21 October 2020. Recently, Somali leaders agreed that the country will once again hold an indirect election in the fall of early 2021, which means that selected delegates will elect members of parliament.

For each seat, 101 people will vote for the candidates, bringing the total number of voters to 27,775. In the 2016 election, 51 delegates cast their ballots, bringing the total to 14,025 voters.

Dozens of delegates who voted in that election have been killed in various cities over the past four years, and many have fled the country, while hundreds more have since apologized to al-Shabaab for safety and security, when the government could not ensure their safety.

Although there were many concerns about the selection process, it was ultimately up to the government to select the delegates, mostly cultural elders, but there is a lot of ambiguity and concern about how they will be secured and who will provide them.

In 2019, al-Shabaab displayed hundreds of people in various locations in southern and central Somalia who it said were members of the peace and security forces that selected or participated in the 2016 elections, including pointing out that they had repented of their infidelity and promised not to go back to another election.

In delegations' security guarantees, many are wondering who will guarantee the security of the electorate and the safety of the delegates who will be selected in the current election, which is much more than in 2016.

Elder Mohamed Hassan Haad, a traditional leader, believes the security of elected delegates were neglected in 2016, which the government should have taken special responsibility for.

"First of all, God decides both death and life. I don't think there is any effort on the part of the government for the security of the delegates"

"Once lawmakers elect, they immediately experience anxiety and fear and innumerable insecurities," said NabadonHaad.

But Somali police, who are in charge of public security for the elections, insist they are ready to provide security for anyone involved in the upcoming elections. But the Farmajo government is feared to take advantage of its interests to ensure the safety of delegates, according to the opposition.

Somali police spokesman Major Sidiq Aden Ali said a comprehensive security plan is underway for the election and its participants.

"We are currently working on a plan. I cannot share with you what the plan is all about, its facets, and how it will turn out, but I can tell you that the security of its plan is well underway." This statement is no different from previous promises as we know that a large number of delegates from the previous election were killed by al-Shabaab.

Security experts believe important lessons can be learned from the capture of delegates in connection with the killings and intimidation from al-Shabaab and this requires taking responsibility for their safety.

However, there are concerns that the safety of elected delegates will be ensured. The government has not yet come up with a clear plan to take their security responsibility.