MOGADISHU (Reuters] -Somalia’s president and prime Minister accused one another of stalling ongoing parliamentary election. This spat, analysts believe may lead to distraction from the government’s fight against al Qaeda-linked terrorist group al Shabaab.

Although the Parliamentary Elections began Nov. 1, and should be finished by December 24, one new lawmaker stated that only 24 out of 275 members had been elected as of Saturday.

In a Sunday statement, the Office of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed claimed that “the Prime Minister poses a grave threat to the electoral processes and overstepping its mandate.”

The office of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble later released its own statement, stating that President Donald Trump had “so much energy and time in frustrating the national election” and “disrupting the electoral process.”

Late Sunday, the United States called for an immediate and credible conclusion to the election.

The U.S. State Department stated that “the United States is deeply concern by the continued delays and procedural irregularities which have undermined credibility of the process”.

Mohamed Sheikh Mursal, a newly elected parliamentarian, stated that only 24 legislators had been elected by Saturday’s deadline.

Somalia has a complex indirect electoral system that allows regional councils to elect a senator. The next step is for clan elders to choose members of the lower chamber, which will then select a president at an unknown date.

Factions of Roble-allied security forces took over areas in the capital after the opposition and the prime minister opposed the extension of the four-year president’s term.

Clashes between the two groups forced https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/bowing-pressure-somalias-president-agrees-not-extend-presidential-term-2021-04-27 between 60,000 and 100,000 people to flee their homes.

Roble was appointed by the President to manage security as well as the organisation of the postponed elections.

Roble stated Sunday that he will hold meetings Monday in an effort to accelerate the election.

The office of President Mohamed also stated that he will hold another meeting to discuss the election and “agree on a competent leadership to spearhead timely and transparent elections”, without giving any details about the time frame.

Somalia is currently trying to rebuild its central government, having had it since 1991. In a rare win against the persistent instability, it had planned to hold direct elections for the first time in over three decades.