Qiimo Qaran Party Endorses Liibaan Ahmed Hassan for Galmudug Presidency

MOGADISHU — The leadership of the Qiimo Qaran political party has officially announced its support for presidential candidate Liibaan Axmed Xasan of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) in the upcoming repeat elections for the Galmudug regional leadership.

The decision was made following consultations and a political assessment by the party leadership regarding the situation in Galmudug, the need for political stability, reconciliation, development and good governance, and the political direction of candidate Liibaan Axmed Xasan.

In a statement, Qiimo Qaran confirmed that it is aligning with candidate Liibaan Axmed Xasan and the JSP in supporting the political process in Galmudug, reinforcing the importance of elections taking place in a peaceful, transparent and respectful environment, and in accordance with electoral laws and procedures.

The party leadership also confirmed that its members and supporters will be directed to follow the official decision of the leadership and participate in the electoral process in accordance with the party’s system and directives.

The JSP Candidacy and the Galmudug Election

The endorsement comes as the JSP, the political party associated with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has officially nominated Libaan Ahmed Hassan as its candidate for the 2026–2031 Galmudug state leadership election, as reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the repeat election timetable. The decision to back Liibaan followed internal party discussions and a period of political tension between the federal government and Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Kariye (Qoor-Qoor), who had initially opposed the candidacy before reportedly accepting it.

The election itself has been marked by legal and procedural challenges. Somalia’s Supreme Court annulled the results of the July 30 Galmudug elections on August 24, 2026, citing irregularities in the electoral process, and ordered fresh polls. The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) subsequently scheduled the rerun for September 30, 2026, with campaigning due to end on September 28.

The NIEBC has announced that 12 political organisations submitted their candidate lists before the September 12 deadline and are cleared to contest the rerun. However, the Towfiiq Party, which had petitioned the court to order the rerun, was excluded from the list of participating parties, a decision the organisation has opposed and described as linked to its legal challenge.

Critical Note

The endorsement of Liibaan Ahmed Hassan by Qiimo Qaran is a significant political development in the Galmudug election, but it is not without controversy. The JSP’s decision to nominate Liibaan was reportedly the preferred outcome of the federal government in Villa Somalia, and the process has raised concerns about the independence of the electoral process and the role of federal authorities in regional elections.

The exclusion of the Towfiiq Party, which initiated the legal challenge that led to the rerun, raises serious questions about the fairness of the process. Towfiiq’s absence from the ballot, combined with the federal government’s active backing of a single candidate, risks producing an outcome that is legally valid but politically contested. The credibility of the September 30 vote will depend on whether all stakeholders, including those excluded, accept the results.

Qiimo Qaran’s decision to align with the JSP and Liibaan reflects a broader pattern of political consolidation around the federal government’s preferred candidate. Whether this consolidation strengthens stability in Galmudug or deepens the grievances of those left outside the process remains to be seen. The coming days will test whether the rerun can proceed peacefully and whether its outcome is accepted as legitimate by the people of Galmudug.