Jubaland opposition rejects appointment of electoral commission

Opposition parties in Somalia's Jubaland State have threatened to hold a parallel electoral process, over what they term "unilateral" appointment of the electoral commission.

Leading opposition figures rejected Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe's appointment of a seven-member Independent Borders and Electoral Commission (IBEC) Saturday, and questioned the credibility of the presidential and parliamentary polls slated for late 2024.

Madobe said he consulted Jubaland's vice presidents in appointing the commission that comprises Mursal Siyaad Mohamed, Warfaa Mohamed Jama, Ahmed Haji Abdi, Naciimo Ibrahim Mohamed, Ahmed Mahmoud Yusuf, Mohamed Osman Yusuf and Mohamed Hussein Osman.

Abdullahi Ali, a leading presidential candidate and former refugee in Kenya, said that the president has no powers to appoint IBEC officials since his mandate ended in August 2023.

"The selection process for this electoral body has been wholly one-sided, disregarding the need for broad consultation and transparency. The opposition should have the right to appoint more than 50 per cent of the members of the electoral commission to ensure balanced representation. However, Mr Madobe’s approach has excluded significant voices, undermining trust in this process," said Dr Ali, who argued that the commission had not received parliamentary approval.

"This absence of parliamentary oversight and support renders Ahmed Madobe’s commission without legal and democratic legitimacy. It’s important to note that the legislative body’s term ended and has not been renewed. We urge Mr Madobe to reconsider this path and engage in inclusive dialogue to create a genuinely representative electoral framework for Jubaland," he added, saying that opposition candidates would decide the next step of action.

The appointment has put Madobe at odds with the President Hassan Sheikh-led Somali Federal Government, which has rejected the unilateral move.

In a terse communique, the federal government said the move was undemocratic and an illegal attempt to amend the State's constitution. It noted that Madobe's term indeed ended in August 2023 and he has no legal mandate to appoint an electoral commission.

"The Federal Government condemns President Ahmed Madobe’s illegal appointment of an electoral committee and warns against any unlawful actions that could incite political, security, and economic instability or divide the people of Jubaland," reads the communique in part, which urges Jubaland citizens to resist Madobe's actions.

"The Federal Government calls upon the leaders, intellectuals, traditional elders, religious scholars, women, youth, and the patient people of Jubaland to defend their constitutional right to freely and fairly elect their leaders while preserving their peace, unity, and solidarity."

The federal government said it would intervene to reverse the appointment.

Madobe, who has been in office since 2011, when the Kenya Defence Forces liberated Kismayo, is seeking a third term in office. He recently had the two-term limit extended through an amendment of the law that many players, including the federal government, have faulted.

Last month, the Jubaland leader skipped a meeting of the National Consultative Council - a body that has essentially decided how Somalia runs - which outlined the modalities for the elections. Madobe had previously snubbed the body, forcing postponements of meetings.

Among the agreements include holding direct one-person-one-vote elections, globally deemed as the fairest exercise of democratic rights.

"He expressed a desire to revert to an indirect election model under his control, effectively securing his re-election through that process. Despite significant efforts and time invested to bring him back to the table, he rejected these attempts, thereby openly reneging on his commitment to the NCC, the Somali people, and the international community, with whom he had pledged, and signed, an agreement for one-person-one-vote elections that would allow Somalis to elect their leaders," reads the federal government's communique.

Somalia's government has sought President William Ruto's help in addressing the impasse, with attempts to have Madobe agree to the universal suffrage model proving futile. There are fears of conflict if the issue is not resolved.

Prime Minister Barre, who hails from Jubaland, plans to visit Kismayo to challenge Madobe’s re-election plans, a move that could escalate tensions, as the opposition already views his (Madobe) bid as exclusionary and autocratic.