Hiiraan Online

Wednesday, December 28, 2016





U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Stephen Schwartz delivers remarks at a swearing-in ceremony in his honor at the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C., on June 27, 2016. [State Department Photo/ Public Domain]





Mogadishu (HOL) - The US government announced today that it will go after Somali-Americans who are threatening the credibility of the electoral process in Somalia" in a tweet sent by the US Mission in Somalia.

The statement warned perpetrators that "grave instances of corruption by US citizens overseas are punishable under US law".

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In a display of unity, the British Ambassador to Somalia Harriett Mathews replied to the tweet saying that the UK Bribery Act applies to British Nationals partaking in the electoral process overseas.

US committed to a credible electoral process in #Somalia; grave instances of corruption by US citizens overseas are punishable under US law — U.S. Mission-Somalia (@US2SOMALIA) December 28, 2016



The UK Bribery Act also applies to British Nationals overseas. https://t.co/pWSU00YJcS — Harriet Mathews (@HarrietLMathews) December 28, 2016

The language of the tweet and the solidarity between the two nations in their unilateral condemnation of electoral abuse bears striking resemblance to a joint statement released by the US, UK, EU, IGAD, UN, and other western nations just a day prior.

In the statement, the signatory parties expressed "grave concern" over a number several electoral irregularities, delays, and discrepancies as well as closed-door decisions made by the countries leadership. They have asked the NLF to address these issues head on.

The main issue of contention was the NLFs decision to only re-run voting for 5 of the 24 parliamentary seats that the electoral body disqualified for corruption, intimidation and violence and other forms of electoral malpractice.

The statement said the NLF refusal to re-run all the seats in question tacitly amounts to "a blanket amnesty for some of the most blatant irregularities witnessed during this electoral process. It also contravenes the Federal Government’s solemn commitment to respect the rule of law."

The statement came as Somalia inaugurated its tenth parliament with 238 new members of parliament being sworn into office.

Reactions

The polarizing tweet divided Somali's who voiced both their praise and concern over direct foreign intervention to prevent electoral abuses abroad.

US/UK transgressed against #Somalia & its rights conferred upon by the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs of sovereign states — Barkinka (@Barkinka1) December 28, 2016

Sovereignty is an issue. Holding a criminalist accountable by his/her country is another issue which i strongly support https://t.co/1Aic00uS0X — Abdifatah Hassan Ali (@IamAbdi5) December 28, 2016

@US2SOMALIA It's the best of US for making its US-Somali citizens accountable for corruption. Well done US Mission in #Somalia. — Hon. Ali H. Warsame (@alihwarsame) December 28, 2016

@US2SOMALIA we welcome this decision and we ask other Democratic countries to follow this good example. Well done USA & thank you — Mohamud Nur (Tarsan) (@MohamudTarsan) December 28, 2016

Somali's with dual passports

Although the exact number of current MP's holding dual citizenship in Somalia is unknown, a political insider told Hiiraan Online that over half of those sworn in yesterday hold a foreign passport.

However, the political elite in Somalia overwhelmingly bear dual citizenship.



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