Somalia has rejected the appointment of former president John Mahama as African Union’s (AU) special envoy to help mediate that country’s political impasse.

In a letter seen by asaaseradio.com and confirmed by sources at the AU, Mahamed Abdirazak, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Mahama has “extensive links” with Kenya, and that the country will no longer support him [Mahama] in his new role.

“It is indeed surprising that a candidate with extensive links with Kenya’s leadership has been chosen by the AU to facilitate talks on a political impasse partly engineered by those Kenyan leadership has supported,” the letter stated.

“Given the politically sensitive nature of the task of a high representative in any case, I am certain you will appreciate the importance of any candidate for such a post to be seen as impartial and without any links to the region,” it added.

“I hereby notify the African Union of the formal withdrawal of support by the Federal Government of Somalia for the AU High Representative for Somalia.”

Read the full letter below:

On Saturday (8 May) John Mahama, was appointed as the African Union (AU) High Representative to Somalia.

“President Mahama will work with the Somali stakeholders, to reach a mutually acceptable compromise towards an all-encompassing resolution for the holding of Somali elections in the shortest time possible,” an AU statement said.

Mahama will be supported by the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), a peace keeping mission operated by the AU in Somalia with approval by the UN to ensure that the mediation efforts and the peace support operation work together seamlessly.

The AU chairperson called on the Somali stakeholders to negotiate in good faith, and to put the interests of Somalia and the well-being of the Somali people above all else in the search for an inclusive settlement to the electoral crisis.

“This should usher in a democratically elected government with the legitimacy and mandate to resolve the remaining outstanding political and constitutional issues that are posing a threat to the stability of the country and the region as a whole.”