Somalia’s National Consultative Council Concludes Unilaterally on Election Plan, Exacerbating Rifts with Puntland and Jubbaland Absent

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AXADLE): After a month-long series of informal talks, the National Consultative Council wrapped up its meetings without the involvement of leaders from Puntland and Jubbaland.

President Mohamud’s office shared its strategy to set up a new federal electoral committee under the federal government’s wing, despite the absence of a full agreement among all regional states. Talk about stepping into muddy waters without a paddle.

The brief, two-page communiqué was released after a summit in Mogadishu, attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, and delegates from only three out of five regional states; meanwhile, Puntland and Jubbaland maintained their distance.

The document put forth plans for a singular electoral body to be governed by federal authorities. It also announced that a fresh electoral law would soon be on its way to parliament. Hold onto your hats!

While timelines were set for a one-sided election process, local elections aim for June 2025 and regional ones are slated for September 2025.

This essentially prolongs the tenure of regional state leaders whose terms have already expired, which fuels the fiery feud over the legitimacy of regional governments.

The conspicuous absence of Puntland and Jubbaland officials raises red flags about the plausibility of regional and direct elections without total regional accord.

Add to that the ongoing security hurdles—Al-Shabaab still holds sway over large swathes of the nation, muddying the waters further.

It’s fuzzy at best how a centrally appointed electoral committee will orchestrate elections in areas not under federal jurisdiction.

Security experts and political pundits caution that these choices might magnify the already tangled web in Somalia, potentially deepening fissures between Mogadishu and the regional states.

Former President Sheikh Sharif’s Himilo Qaran Party rejected the Council’s resolutions, cautioning that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will have to answer for any violations of the national and regional constitutions. “You’re rockin’ the boat here!” was the crux of their message.