MOGADISHU, Somalia – Heavily armed Somali military forces were deployed to Elwak town, Gedo region, after Kenyan-led mediation talks failed to resolve political tensions over the country’s new one-person, one-vote system.
Troops from the 43rd Division of the Somali National Army have reportedly established new defensive lines upon arrival and are preparing to launch anti-Al-Shabaab operations.
Despite the division’s primary focus being the southern part of the country, including Gedo, Lower, and Middle Jubba regions, their relocation requires consultation with Jubaland state. Any failure to do so could further escalate the rift between the central government and the state leadership.
As Gedo falls under Jubaland’s jurisdiction, the motives behind the troop deployment remain unclear. Reliable sources say the forces were deployed to Elwak under the orders of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Tensions flared earlier this week when Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe appointed a seven-member electoral committee to oversee an indirect leadership election for his state, challenging President Mohamud’s push for a one-person, one-vote electoral system.
President Madobe also canceled Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s planned visit to Kismayo, about 500 km southwest of the capital, Mogadishu. The visit was intended to facilitate talks aimed at resolving tensions between Madobe and President Mohamud ahead of an indirect leadership election for Jubaland.
Madobe deployed heavy weaponry and armed forces to secure the airport and the city, preventing any planes from landing without his authorization. He rejected the unified election system and is preparing to hold his own election for Jubaland.
He has been in office since 2012, holding indirect elections whenever his mandate expires, effectively ensuring his re-election and extending his rule. He avoids a popular election, believing such a process would undermine his chances of winning.
Madobe has faced similar pressure in the past to hold a free and fair election. He sidestepped it by closing both air and ground borders, holding his own election, declaring himself president, and then lifting the restrictions once he deemed himself legitimate. It seems he is trying to employ the same strategy with the current central government based in Mogadishu.
In Somalia, three other regional leaders have had their terms extended by an additional year to prepare for holding one-person, one-vote elections. If Madobe proceeds with his own election, the other three states are likely to follow suit, undermining President Mohamud’s vision of holding popular elections.
Somalia has never had a nationwide electoral system like the one being pushed now. Since 1969, when General Siad Barre took power, Somalia’s politics have been shaped by clan affiliations rather than direct voting. Instead of elections where every citizen votes, key political positions—such as president, prime minister, and speaker—have historically been allocated based on clan representation. Members of both the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament, who are responsible for electing the president, are chosen by clan delegates rather than through a popular vote. This system has continued for decades, with clan power playing a central role in Somalia’s governance structure
