Mohamed Hussein Al-Qaadi, the Governor of Somalia’s Gedo region, has issued a stern warning to the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), declaring that any voter registration or election activities conducted without coordination with Jubbaland authorities will be deemed illegitimate and face opposition.
In a statement to local media on Wednesday, Governor Al-Qaadi emphasized that the electoral process must be established through mutual agreement between the federal government and Jubbaland’s administration.
“No elections will take place in Gedo without our consent. I caution the Electoral Commission—if they proceed without proper coordination, there will be repercussions,” he asserted.
His remarks highlight the ongoing political dispute between Jubaland and the Federal Government over electoral authority, constitutional reforms, and the transition to direct elections.
The NIEBC recently announced plans to begin voter registration in multiple regions, including Gedo, as part of preparations for Somalia’s first one-person, one-vote elections since 1967, slated for 2026.
Registration officially launched on Tuesday in Mogadishu’s Shangani district, where large crowds gathered to obtain voter ID cards. Senior officials, including the city’s mayor, were among the first to register.
The federal government’s push for universal suffrage aims to replace Somalia’s traditional 4.5 clan-based power-sharing system, which allocates parliamentary seats among four major clans and a collective “half-share” for minority groups.
Federal authorities have not yet publicly responded to Governor Al-Qaadi’s warning.