Southwest state oposition figures have expressed their concern over security forces reportedly based near their residential homes in Baidoa town.
In a letter sent to Somalia’s Lower House speaker Aden Madobe who appointed technical committee for talks between Southwest state leaders Abdiaziz Hassan Lafta-gareen and the opposition figures, the opposition alliance set conditions for the participation.
The reconciliation conference is slated for 5th of January this year.
The opposition leaders who are mostly based in Mogadishu first challenged the freshly constituted technical committee appointed by the Speaker, citing a lack of consultation while granting committee members to President Lafgareen.
They further claimed that the Lower House Speaker’s previous assurance to remove South West security forces from opposition residences in Baidoa had not been kept.
They also requested that action be taken against the security commanders involved in the recent violence in Baidoa, as well as the release of all inmates held in connection with the opposition.
The opposition camp’s new set of demands might compel the conference to be postponed as the Lower House Speaker attempts to address the concerns raised by the opposition.
The anticipated conference is aimed at resolving the spat over President Laftagareen’s administration’s one-year controversial mandate extension, among other issues.
