Bar-Kulan
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
President elected Mr. Abdi Hassa Awale |
The former TFG minister for Minerals and Water, Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdid has been elected president of the semi-autonomous State of Galmudug on Wednesday.
Qeybdid won in a hotly contested presidential election held in Galkayo town by the region’s parliamentarians after garnering 20 votes out of the 22 voters casted.
His only contender, Abdisamed Noor Gulleid who is the current Vice President got only one vote while the remaining vote was declared spoiled.
Speaking after he was confirmed the winner, the newly elect president promised to tackle insecurity in the region and foster relations with the neighbouring regional administrations in order strengthen security in the region.
Qeybdid who is also the former Somali government police commander now becomes the third president of Galmudug since 2006 when the regional government was declared.
His election comes a time the date of the regional presidential election is facing controversy.
The outgoing president Mohamed Ahmed Alin on Tuesday last week named the region’s electoral commission to cool down souring political temperature in the region following recent appointment by his vice president which sparked controversies.
In a statement from his office, Mr. Alin said the move is aimed to end the current political stalemate and infighting among the regional leaders and safe the regional government from collapsing.
President Alin also disbanded the recently appointed commission, saying he is the only person mandated to appoint any commission in the region.
The appointment of the electoral body by vice president Abdisamed Noor Gulleid has faced protests from some leaders amid souring political temperature in the region.
Gulleid’s appointment sparked controversy within the regional leaders, with some calling it unconstitutional and vowed to rally against the appointment.
Apart from some leaders’ protest against the appointment, the area regional Supreme Court quashed Gulleid’s decision, saying it was unprocedural, making it null and void.
The court stated that differences over the exact date of the election could have been resolved before the commission is appointed.
The court also noted that it was in the interest of the Galmudug State for the court to quash the appointment, fearing that the appointment might add fuel to the already souring political differences in the region.
The ruling received a thump-up from locals and some politicians in the region saying it was in favour of an effort to cool down souring political temperature and possible disputes that may have jeopardized the regional presidential election.
In effort to voice their dissatisfaction, some Members of Parliament immediately held a press conference in Galkayo where they protested against the appointment, calling it unconstitutional.
They claimed that the appointment of the commission by the area vice president has already created political divisions within the region. They said Galmudug president Mohamed Ahmed Ali is the only person that can legally appoint the commission.
Source: Bar-Kulan