Kismayo(Mogadishu24)-Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe has been re-elected as the President of Jubaland State for a third term following elections held in Kismayo.

Madobe secured a decisive victory, receiving 55 out of 75 votes in the regional parliament, outperforming his competitors Faisal Mohamed Mataan, who garnered 16 votes, and Abubakar Abdi Hassan, who obtained 4 votes. Another candidate, Dr. Abdi Hassan, withdrew before the voting began.

Jubaland Parliament Speaker, Abdi Mohamed Abdirahman announced the results, confirming Madobe’s leadership for the next five years.

The re-election comes amidst tensions between Jubaland and Somalia’s Federal Government, which has criticized the elections as conflicting with the proposed “one-person, one-vote” electoral model set to be implemented nationwide next year.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, once a close ally of Madobe, strongly opposed the regional elections, warning against conducting them outside the federal electoral framework.

This political discord has further strained relations between the Federal Government and Jubaland.

Despite these challenges, Madobe pledged to engage in dialogue with federal leaders to address the ongoing disputes.

Regional leaders and opposition politicians congratulated him on his victory, urging unity and collaboration to tackle security, economic, and political issues facing Jubaland.

Madobe’s re-election underscores the complexities of Somalia’s federal political structure, with significant implications for governance, security, and the path toward national reconciliation.