The federal Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation declared that Jubbaland President Ahmed Islam Madobe is in office illegally after his term expired in August 2023.
The announcement highlights the intricate political landscape in Somalia, where formal transitions of power can be influenced by political agreements rather than strictly electoral processes.
It was made in the wake of growing differences between the Jubbaland administration and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government.
Madobe is increasingly convinced that Somalia should hold indirect polls, a contradictory opinion to President Mohamud who declared that the country will henceforth conduct direct elections where every person will vote for his or her preferred presidential and parliamentary candidate.
In the case of Jubbaland’s President Madobe, his continued tenure after the official term’s expiry in August 2023 underscores the importance of consensus-based governance within Somalia’s federal system.
This arrangement, often necessary to maintain stability, illustrates the cooperative and sometimes contentious relationships between the federal government and regional states.
Such political agreements can help prevent immediate tensions but also reflect ongoing challenges in implementing a uniform electoral system across the nation.