The Devil’s Pact opposition alliance fragmented under electoral deadline pressure

Evidence

Unmoved by the counterproposals, the opposition demanded a postponement of one month. A day later, one of the opposition parties, Liberale, broke ranks with the Devil’s Pact and decided to put its lists forward wherever it could. Two days later, HDMS declared its intention to participate in the election, followed by the Greater Somali League (GSL). Moderates in the ruling party convinced their colleagues to do everything legally possible to facilitate matters for Liberale and HDMS to register as many of their lists as possible. HDMS’s and Liberale’s defection isolated the Greater Somali League by leaving it alone, which was the SYL’s main concern. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 365