Native Somaliland politicians and traditional elders have decided to boycott the ongoing Somalia’s electoral process, including the parliamentary and presidential election that was earlier extended to November 30.

Existing and emerging Federal states were expected to announce the Upper House candidates before October 10, an extended deadline by Somalia’s electoral body.

In a major blow to the electoral process, in a meeting held in Mogadishu, clan elders and Somali government officials whose term ended in September 10, including Deputy Prime Minister and Federal parliamentarians, have denounced seats quota of both Federal Parliament Houses for Somaliland region, describing it ‘unfair’ and undermine efforts aimed to unite the country.

Federal MP, Ibrahim Saleban, said that they will not participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, arguing that seats allocated for Somaliland don’t match its status and difference over quota composition.

Meanwhile, the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation team (FIEIT) has urged National Leadership Forum to swiftly intervene to ease the crisis and avoid further setbacks to the electoral process.

At a press conference FIEIT Chairman Omar Mohamed Dhagay, said that a special consideration should be taken for Somaliland clans. Also, Federal MP and Somaliland native Fawziya Haji Adan, in an interview, said that she will boycott the parliamentary elections. Ms Adan is a former Federal Foreign Minister and a close ally to caretaker President Hasan Sheikh Mahmoud.

Close sources told the media that plans to orchestrate setbacks to the electoral process have been set by Somali Federal leaders to further delay elections and extend office term to leverage their presidential campaigns.

The lingering process to form the Upper House chamber could undermine the electoral process and plunge the country into political crisis.

In a related development the FIEIT has returned the list of candidates for the Upper House, passed earlier by regional states, after announcing that some of the lists don’t correspond with previous agreements by Somali leaders on the election roadmap.

Puntland, Galmudug and Jubaland were called to amend their list of candidates in accordance to National Leadership Forum (NLF) communiqués to grant women 30-percenet quota.

On the other hand, FIEIT has commended Somalia’s Southwest state for reserving women quota in their list of candidates.

The decision comes following raised concerns by UN and women’s group on the failure of state leaders to honor previous agreement intended to ensure women participation in the ongoing electoral process.

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Pope Francis has promoted 17 Roman Catholic prelates from around the world to the high rank of cardinal, including 13 who are under 80 years old and thus eligible to succeed him one day. Among those named Cardinal are three Africans: 49-year Dieudonne Nzapalianga from the Central African Republic (CAR), 87-year old Sebastian Koto Khoarai from Lesotho and 75-year old Maurice Piat.

Cardinals, who wear red hats and are known as “princes of the Church,” are the most senior members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy after the pope and serve as his principal advisers around the world and in the Vatican.

Naming new cardinals is one of the most significant powers of the papacy, allowing a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2-billion-member global Church.

Cardinals under 80, known as cardinal-electors, can enter a secret conclave to choose a new pope from their own ranks after Francis dies or resigns. Francis, the former cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected in a conclave on March 13, 2013.

The new cardinal-electors come from Italy, the Central African Republic, Spain, the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Belgium, Mauritius, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.

Significantly, Francis said the current Vatican ambassador in Syria, Italian Archbishop Mario Zenari, would be elevated but remain in his post to show the Church’s concern for “beloved and martyred Syria” – an allusion to the devastating civil war there.

It was believed to be the first time in recent history a Vatican ambassador, known as a nuncio, would have the rank of cardinal.

The pope has made numerous appeals for an end to Syria’s war and last month he urged forces to stop bombing civilians in Aleppo, warning them they would face God’s judgment one day.

The four new cardinals over 80, who get the position as a symbolic honor to thank them for long service to the Church, include Father Ernest Simoni, 88, an Albanian priest who spent many years in jail and forced labor during the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985.

Francis, making the surprise announcement during his weekly Sunday address, said the ceremony to elevate the prelates, known as a consistory, would be held on Nov. 19.

With the current batch, Francis has named 44 cardinal-electors, slightly more than a third of the total of 120 allowed by Church law.

It will be his third consistory since his election in 2013 as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years and he has used each occasion to show support for the Church in far flung places or where Catholics are suffering.

The Central African Republic, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and Lesotho will have a cardinal for the first time, underscoring Francis’ conviction that the Church is a global institution that should become increasingly less Euro-centric.

Last year the pope visited Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. Amid some of the tightest security ever seen on his trips, he preached reconciliation in the nation racked by bloodshed between Muslims and Christians.

Only one of the 13 cardinal-electors will take on a Vatican job. The others would remain in their posts around the world.

Three are from the United States: Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, Archbishop Joseph William Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, who was recently appointed to head a new Vatican department on family and life issues.

In addition to Simoni, the Albanian priest, the other three cardinals over 80 come from Malaysia, Italy and Lesotho.

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