Monday November 25, 2024
Kismayo (HOL) — Jubbaland legislators have re-elected Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe as regional state president for a third term despite ongoing disputes and a parallel election held by opposition groups.
Madobe, the incumbent, secured 55 votes, while his closest challenger, Faisal Mohamed Mataan, received 16 votes, and Abubakar Abdi Hassan garnered four votes, according to Abdi Mohamed Abdirahman, Speaker of the Jubbaland House of Representatives.
Madobe thanked the Jubbaland parliament and commended his challengers for respecting the election results.
Last week, opposition groups elected Senator Ilyas Gabose as their president, forming a parallel parliament and selecting their own parliamentary speakers, further deepening the political standoff in Jubbaland.
Somali Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre has declared Madobe ineligible for re-election, citing constitutional term limits. Barre criticized the electoral process as illegitimate, accusing Madobe of prioritizing personal ambitions over national unity.
The federal government continues pushing for a unified, universal suffrage system across Somalia, a proposal rejected by Madobe and Puntland’s leadership.