Hiiraan Online
Sunday, March 27, 2016
BELEDWEYNE (HOL) – A new political rivalry has emerged within the council of traditional elders in Hiiraan region, with one faction agreed to attend a conference intended for the formation of a proposed interregional state for Hiiraan and its neighboring Middle Shabelle region.
The apparent split threatens to prevent a united group of the regional elders’ bloc to attend the upcoming regional conference which is due to be held in Jowhar, the provincial capital of Middle Shabelle region.
The development comes few hours after one faction of the region’s elders held talks with Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who is currently visiting Beledweye, the region’s provincial capital in an effort to overcome an impasse in the formation of the proposed state.
However, a rival faction of the regional elders’ council questioned the legitimacy of an ‘inconclusive’ endorsement by the other faction, maintaining their opposition towards the proposed state’s formation process. .
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said that a considerable number of the region’s elders have agreed to attend the state formation conference; calling some of the region’s clan leaders who failed to show up at the latest talks to return to negotiations table.
Mr. Mohamud’s visit in the region comes after multiple attempts by his government to end the political stalemate related to the proposed state formation hit the rocks after Hiran’s traditional elders pushed back a last ditch attempt Somali leaders including a ministerial delegation in the region to secure their endorsement for the initiative.
However, local elders said that their meeting with the president which aimed to bring to an end to the protracted stalemate could not achieve a breakthrough, saying that the president walked out of the meeting hall without providing an answer.