Southwest State Election Postponed For The Fourth Time To December 19

The election of Southwest State presidency has been postponed to December 19 on Saturday, becoming the 4th time since last Month, according to the electoral commission in Baidoa city.

The Somali government has deployed 50 police officers in Baidoa town to guard the presidential election of Southwest state.

The state is expected to hold its presidential election on 19th December after three of postponement.

Southwest state officials who spoke to Halbeeg News confirmed the deployment of the police officers saying they were organized at the request of Southwest State authorities.

The officers were airlifted from Mogadishu today ahead of the election.

According to an official who spoke on a condition of anonymity, the police commanders of Southwest state and Baidoa, Mahat Abdirahman and Mukhtar Gaduudow respectively have requested the deployment of the police officers in Baidoa town.

The commissioner reportedly called for the deployment of additional 50 soldiers to give support to 250 other law enforcement officer already in place who will man the election.

According to the sources, the forces will scale up security operations during the presidential election.

The move comes barely three days after Somali ministry for Security issued a statement directing the state’s security ministry to execute its roles and secure the election venues as well as the general security of the region.

The state is expected to hold the state’s presidential election on 19th of this month.

The winner of next month election will replace the state’s former president Sharif Hassan who resigned on Nov. 7 and withdrew from the upcoming election, after he cited widespread interference of the electoral process.