Farmaajo, Somalia federal state leaders reach polls deal

Somalia’s President Mohamed Farmaajo and five federal state leaders have agreed on a deal that retains the clan-based system of delegate voting in the upcoming elections.

The new pact, which was reached at after a five-day meeting in Mogadishu, revises last month's deal between Farmaajo and three of the five states which chose to have 303 delegates voting for each of the 275 MPs of the Lower House.

The new arrangement, which must be endorsed by parliament, means Somalia’s next elections will see 101 delegates voting in 275 MPs who in turn will elect the federal president.

The deal, endorsed by federal state presidents of Jubaland, Hirshabelle, Puntland, South West and Galmudug, also means that Somalia has shelved earlier plans to have universal suffrage for the first time in 50 years.