Beledweyne (AX) – The Justice and Unity Party (JSP) has chosen former Hiiraan governor Abdifatah Hassan Afrah as its candidate for deputy president of Hirshabelle State, placing him at the center of an increasingly tense political contest in Beledweyne ahead of the planned election.
The JSP Executive Committee endorsed Afrah for the 2026-2031 term during a meeting on Tuesday chaired by party Secretary-General Hussein Sheikh Mohamud. The party previously nominated incumbent Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlaawe to seek another term.
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Afrah expressed gratitude to the party leadership for its backing and said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had contributed to the decision.
He said he had taken part in the establishment of Hirshabelle and described the deputy leadership role as demanding, given the drought, political disputes and other challenges confronting the state.
“We are ready to engage with everyone, whether they reject a solution or embrace it. Hirshabelle is moving forward,” Afrah said.
Former Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Osoble, who leads a Hawadle political council supporting the current electoral process, welcomed Afrah’s nomination. He said Afrah could help unite communities across Hirshabelle, especially in Hiiraan.
Osoble’s council has endorsed Guudlaawe and the planned election, underscoring divisions within the Hawadle community over the direction of the political process.
Following his nomination, Afrah traveled to Beledweyne, his home region, and began campaigning ahead of the scheduled vote.
Afrah said the election was expected to be held on Sept. 30 and voiced confidence that it could take place peacefully despite weeks of heightened political tension.
“Based on the information we have, there is no violence occurring in the city,” Afrah said, adding that he hoped the vote would proceed without disruption.
He acknowledged that the dispute in Beledweyne would not be settled overnight, saying political differences required sustained engagement among residents, elders and other stakeholders.
Afrah also dismissed claims that his candidacy ran counter to demands by Hawadle leaders seeking the Hirshabelle presidency instead of the deputy position.
“I have declared my candidacy as Abdifatah Afrah, but the name I bear carries significant weight that transcends any single location or clan,” he said.
Afrah arrived in Beledweyne hours after Hawadle traditional elders declared that Hirshabelle officials would not be allowed to land at airports in Hiiraan until an agreement was reached on the region’s political grievances. The elders said the airports would remain available to the public but warned that delegations and aircraft linked to the Hirshabelle administration would be denied access.
The dispute is rooted in questions of representation and power-sharing within Hirshabelle, which consists of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle.
Hawadle elders and politicians have repeatedly called for the Hiiraan election process to be suspended until a wider political agreement is reached. Some have also insisted that the Hawadle community should occupy the Hirshabelle presidency instead of maintaining the current leadership arrangement.
Guudlaawe’s nomination by the JSP earlier this month further escalated the dispute. He has governed Hirshabelle for nearly six years and is seeking another term under the party’s banner.
Afrah joined the JSP recently after serving as secretary-general of the SINCAD political organization. He previously held the post of Hiiraan governor.
His selection gives the JSP a Hiiraan politician on its leadership ticket as the party proceeds with the election despite resistance from influential Hawadle elders and political figures.
