MOGADISHU, Somalia – President Ahmed Madobe said Jubaland has never received its rightful share from the central government during his re-election campaign speech on Sunday. The presidential race will take place on Monday in Kismayo, a town located about 500km from the capital, Mogadishu.
Despite rising political tensions over his defiance of the unified electoral system introduced by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud—an initiative for all of Somalia for the first time in more than three decades—President Madobe is seeking re-election in Monday’s presidential race for Jubaland.
Madobe said the central government, led by President Mohamud, had rejected his state’s plan to recruit and equip additional soldiers to strengthen regional security and support his efforts to remove Al Shabab, the al-Qaeda-linked group, from its largest stronghold in the Middle Jubba region.
He said the Jubba regions, with their highlands and forests, are being used by Al Shabab as hideouts. “We developed a military strategy to drive the militant group out of these areas, but the central government failed to provide us with what is rightfully ours to move the plan forward.”
He also pledged to restore ties and working relations with the central government if re-elected. Tensions escalated earlier this month when Madobe announced plans to hold his election for Jubaland, while President Mohamud rejected the plan, saying it violates the country’s electoral process.
On Saturday, Somalia’s bicameral parliament passed a new electoral law, which includes a provision (Article 82, Section 2) declaring any election not in line with the law as invalid. The law’s passage coincides with Jubaland’s preparations for an indirect presidential election on Monday.
If the Jubaland election goes ahead as planned, other regional states scheduled for direct elections may follow suit, challenging Somalia’s unified election process championed by President Mohamud.
For decades, Somalia has lacked a nationwide electoral system. Since 1969, key positions like president, prime minister, and speaker have been filled based on clan representation through an indirect process.
