Turjumaad ayaa la diyaarinayaa

Political tensions are escalating in Somalia’s central regional state of Galmudug amid growing disagreements among senior Somali leaders over the management of the upcoming presidential election, according to local officials and sources familiar with the discussions.

Reports from Dhuusamareeb, the administrative capital of Galmudug, suggest that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is backing Libaan Ahmed Hassan as the preferred candidate of the ruling Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) in the regional presidential race.

The reported endorsement has triggered resistance from Mahad Salad, a close political ally of the Somali president, who is also seeking to become the government-supported candidate for the position.

Sources close to Mahad Salad told local media that he is advocating for either an open and competitive electoral process or a “one person, one vote” system aimed at widening political participation in the state. The sources added that he believes dialogue and consensus-building should take priority in order to prevent tensions from escalating into conflict.