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API-Africa

Getting Somalia back on the path to peace, democracy and development is still work in progress. The presidential election in Somalia’s most cosmopolitan state of Jubaland on August 22nd 2019 is a bold step towards democracy.

The election, was solely based on efforts to restore stability, defeat terrorism and rebuild its economy.

THE RESULTS The re-election of the incumbent Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madoobe) as the leader of Somalia’s federal state of Jubbaland reckoned a promise of hope for Somalia and was a litmus test for a democratic process in the world’s most fragile country. Perhaps, this election marks a new beginning for rapprochement, particularly for the international community to leverage on the Jubaland election as a curtain raiser for stability and re-construction of Somalia. Hauling fresh prospects for regional economic growth, fight al-Shabab and a top security partner with Kenya, Madoobe secured 56 of 73 votes in a first round defeating tsix other candidates. Anab Mohamed Darir, Madoobe’s closest challenger

garnered 17 votes, Mohamed Mohamud Omar got one vote, while four others technically scored zero. According to Dr Hamza Barre, the chairperson of the Jubbaland Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madoobe) won with a two-thirds majority beating his closest challenger by 39 votes. However, it is a contested outcome with one group emerging from villa Somalia dismissed the election in Jubaland terming it “Illegitimate process and unconstitutional” and insisting that “a free, credible” elections in the region should be witnessed by FGS and international community. The second group, is one trooping as the proopposition parliament claiming that electoral processes were mired with controversies.

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