MOGADISHU, Somalia – International partners have expressed concern about the ongoing political dispute between the central government, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Jubaland regional state President Ahmed Madobe over the country’s new one-person, one-vote system.
In a statement, the international partners urged the feuding leaders to resolve their disagreements through dialogue before any electoral processes are finalized. They also called on President Ahmed Madobe to return to the National Consultative Council (NCC) discussions on elections.
“We urge all stakeholders to engage in constructive and inclusive discussions on the electoral process. Jubaland State is urged to return to the NCC for an open discussion and restore ties with the central government,” they said, encouraging all parties to refrain from provocations and re-engage in open dialogue before election plans are completed.
The partners expressed their support for Somalia’s progress in advancing its state-building agenda, highlighting the country’s ambition to gradually move toward one-person, one-vote elections through more inclusive and participatory voting systems.
“The importance of building public and political support by developing electoral processes that are inclusive, achievable, and widely accepted is critical,” they said. The diplomats also stressed the need for a realistic timeline for completing these processes while ensuring national security and stability.
Despite ongoing calls for the de-escalation of political tensions, President Madobe moved forward with an indirect election, holding the parliament speakership election on Thursday, while the presidential election is scheduled for next Monday.
If held as planned, three other regional states in Somalia, whose mandates have ended and are also due for direct elections, may follow suit, potentially undermining the unified election system pushed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Madobe has already cut ties with the central government, using his usual tactics—closing air and land borders to hold his own election, declaring himself president, and then lifting the restrictions once he sees himself as legitimate. It’s a strategy he used against then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo before.
Now, all eyes are on Madobe as he pushes to hold his own election, backed by Puntland and opposition leaders, while the central government, led by President Mohamud, rejects the plan, saying it violates the country’s election process.
Political analysts are questioning Mohamud’s vision for a direct election, especially since he himself was elected indirectly on May 15, 2022, when he defeated Farmaajo. They point out that, while in opposition, Mohamud rejected similar reforms from Farmaajo, only to now push for the same changes he once opposed.
His stance has also drawn criticism, with opposition leaders accusing him of trying to stay in office beyond his mandate. On Saturday, they claimed he’s dismantling Somalia’s government, pushing the country to the brink of collapse. “We are witnessing an unprecedented crisis, where the very institutions holding the country together are being eroded,” they said.
The analysts said President Mohamud is facing the same challenges as his predecessor, Farmaajo, whose electoral proposals were rejected and then led to an indirect presidential election. They also question whether Mohamud will compromise, set aside the political tensions, and lead Somalia into an indirect election, just as Farmaajo did, for the greater good.
Somalia has never had a nationwide electoral system. Since General Siad Barre took power in 1969, clan affiliations have shaped the country’s politics, with key positions like president, prime minister, and speaker being allocated based on clan representation rather than direct elections. Both houses of Parliament, which elect the president, are made up of members selected by clan delegates, not by direct vote. Clan influence has dominated Somalia’s political landscape for decades.
