Somalia’s first female presidential aspirant assumes watchdog role after pullout

The first woman to express interest in becoming the next president of Somalia has now decided to serve the country as an anti-corruption watchdog following her pullout from the contest.

44-year-old Fadumo Dayib announced her pullout to Africanews which she blamed on the “unparalleled corruption and rigging” taking place in Somalia.

“I do not want to legitimize something that is unconstitutional. First of all, the 4.5 apartheid clan-based system is unconstitutional,” she said on Tuesday citing an unequal level field and disregard of rule of law.

I do not want to legitimize something that is unconstitutional. First of all, the 4.5 apartheid clan-based system is unconstitutional.
Fadumo accused the “heavily funded” incumbent president and prime minister of being busy rigging the system using state resources and apparatus to fund their own campaigns.

She condemned the additional 18 seats added to the Upper House of Parliament as unconstitutional.

“What this will call for is that the MPs and Senators will be paid a salary of 1 million dollars every month. This is a country where over 73% of the population lives on less that 2 dollars a day. How are we going to afford 1 million dollars every month for our Upper and Lower house,” she said.

She explained that her attempt to contest despite the clan-based system which has been in place since 1990 was due to a compromise on her part to see if it can lead to a democratic election in 2020.

“But what I have seen on the ground is inconsistent with the constitution. The means doesn’t justify the end and this can lead to fresh conflict,” she warned, adding “people are buying senatorial seats for $1.3 million and others are willing to pay half a million to enter politics”.
Fadumo Dayib said the presidential candidates “outside the establishment” do not stand a chance of winning the election unless they adhere to her proposal of a coalition to rally behind one person.

“This is the only way the current establishment can be challenged and the two incumbents stopped. Unfortunately that wasn’t forthcoming,” she decried.

“I will be the watchdog, the whistle-blower, that the country badly needs. I have assigned myself as Somalia’s independent anti-corruption Czar. My base will continue to be in Somalia as well Kenya,” Fadumo Dayib stated.

For now, Somalia has only one female aspirant in the race. She is Somali-American medical clinic interpreter Anab Dahir who is based in the United States.