Sunday 9,Nov 2024 {HMC} Jubbaland State leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe appointed a seven-member Independent Election Committee on Saturday to oversee preparations for indirect elections in Jubbaland.
The committee, composed of figures closely aligned with President Madobe, immediately sparked opposition from Somalia’s federal government and political factions outside Jubbaland.
The federal Ministry of Internal Affairs swiftly condemned Madobe’s move, labeling it both illegal and counterproductive to Somalia’s democratic progress. A ministry statement urged Madobe to adhere to the recent National Consultative Council (NCC) agreements, which mandate a unified, universal suffrage electoral system across Somalia.
The NCC agreement, endorsed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and three regional leaders, sets dates for the June 2025 local, regional, and municipal elections, followed by parliamentary and presidential elections in September 2025.
Tensions between the federal government and Jubbaland escalated when Madobe walked out of a recent NCC meeting in Mogadishu, demanding that Puntland and SSC Khatumo be included in the electoral discussions. This request aligns with Puntland’s ongoing boycott of the NCC amid its own disputes with the federal government, further complicating Somalia’s push toward a unified electoral system.
Source Hiiraan online
