This archive report was first published on 17 July 2021.
As Somalia rushes to resolve critical issues in its electoral plan ahead of polls scheduled to begin on July 25, disagreements over the leadership of electoral teams in Somaliland have emerged.
According to analysts, the decision to hold elections for Somaliland in Mogadishu is far from fully agreed upon, despite an agreement stating otherwise.
Two camps, aligned to Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Gulaid and Speaker of the Senate Abdi Hashi, are wrangling over who should lead the electoral teams for the northern regions of Somaliland.
Both Gulaid and Hashi are senior-most Somaliland officials in the Federal Government, and Somaliland claimed independence from Somalia in 1993.
As Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital, has refused to participate in elections in Somalia, the election of representatives from the region often takes place in Mogadishu, arranged by politicians and natives of the region.
After surprise elections on Monday, an 11-member SIET team for Somaliland split into two, with one side voting for Khadar Harir Hussein as chairman and Ajib Hussein Samale as deputy.
However, under the majoritarian voting style for leaders of electoral teams, analysts indicated that Gulaid's team will carry the day, having more members voting than the group led by Hashi.
“Hashi's team was caught off guard by their members changing votes if not sides. They cried foul but the election will stick [for Hussein to lead the team],” said Adam Aw Hirsi, a political analyst.
Meanwhile, officials in Gedo are also scrambling to iron out wrangles over where to hold elections, with each state required to provide two venues for the election of representatives who will then travel to Mogadishu to vote for the president on October 10.
Mr Roble had appointed a team in June to help reconcile communities in Gedo, and they were in Garbaharrey, Gedo this week to meet elders and special interest groups.
“Since Abdirashid Janan and his militia crossed over to Somalia and surrendered to Somali intelligence officials in March, there has been no political dispute within Gedo,” Hirsi said, referring to Jubbaland's former interior minister initially blamed by Somalia for running a militia from Kenya before Mogadishu changed tune and pardoned him.
