Somalia’s Federal Government and Jubbaland in Dispute Over Election Reforms, Intensifying Political Tension
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia finds itself entangled in a thorny political conundrum, with rising tensions between the federal government and the southern state of Jubbaland over contentious electoral reforms. This firestorm has forced Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre to call for an urgent cabinet meeting on Sunday, aiming to tackle what has become a seriously divisive cause. Jubbaland’s leadership is vehemently opposing federal election plans and champions regional self-governance instead.
At the crux of this simmering discord is the federal government’s bid to replace the long-standing clan-centric, indirect voting system with a one-person, one-vote model. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud believes that such a transition is crucial for Somalia’s democratic evolution, paving the way for citizens to handpick their representatives in direct elections.
On Monday, Somalia’s bicameral parliament greenlighted essential electoral legislation, setting the stage for upcoming local, regional, and municipal elections slated for June 2025. The proposed laws align with the National Consultative Council’s (NCC) election schedule, signaling a significant overhaul of the country’s electoral framework.
Despite these strides, Jubbaland’s President Ahmed Madobe stands his ground, opposing the shift wholly. He perceives it as an encroachment on regional autonomy and a sly effort to concentrate power in Mogadishu. Publicly skeptical, Madobe has raised doubts about the federal government’s ability to pull off this ambitious plan. Trying to assert his region’s electoral rights, Madobe established a seven-member State Independent Committee for Borders and Elections on Saturday. This committee aims to manage Jubbaland’s electoral issues independently, without the federal leash. In response, the federal Ministry of Interior denounced the committee as “illegitimate,” warning that such acts might destabilize the state and fracture Somalia’s delicate federal equilibrium.
The situation has taken a darker turn, with Jubbaland mirroring Northeastern State’s actions by halting cooperation with Mogadishu altogether. Jubbaland’s statehouse cited the need to uphold constitutional norms and defend regional governance as the rationale for this bold move, voicing concern that federal meddling could compromise local security and administrative efforts.
Simultaneously, the federal government questioned the authenticity of President Madobe’s leadership, pointing out that his term expired back in August 2023. They’ve drawn a clear line in the sand, asserting that Jubbaland’s current leadership lacks legitimacy to push against federal reforms.
The stakes are dizzyingly high, particularly in Jubbaland’s Lower Juba region, where federal troops have allegedly pulled back from strategic positions in the fight against Al-Shabaab. Jubbaland officials argue that such withdrawals create sanctuaries for insurgents in key areas like Kismayo, sparking concerns that the security landscape could devolve amid the political chasm.
In the face of intensifying pressure from all quarters, Prime Minister Barre plans a visit to Kismayo, aiming to repair bridges through sincere dialogue. His hopes hinge on coaxing a diplomatic remedy that could salvage this precarious situation.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
