Saturday July 22, 2023
Beledweyne (HOL) - Former Hiiraan region governor Ali Jeyte Osman, who claims to have been elected as Hiiraan State President, revealed that his political conflict with Hirshabelle State President stemmed from their differing approaches to anti-al Shabab operations in the Hiiraan region.
"We fought each other on matters of people's development; it was not about anything else. Our dispute did not revolve around the topics the Somalis have been discussing. Unfortunately, Hirshabelle was unwilling to drive the enemy out of the country. Evidence shows that Ali Guudlawe refrained from acknowledging our victories against al Shabab until we reached the Adan Yabal district in the Middle Shabelle region," said Jeyte.
Osman further criticized the politicians leading the Hirshabelle administration, asserting that Regional President Ali Guudlawe and Vice President Yusuf Dabaged lack the necessary leadership skills and qualifications to govern the community effectively.
However, several weeks ago, Hirshabelle President Ali Hussein Guudlawe dismissed Ali Jeyte Osman, the governor of the Hiiraan region, and appointed Abdullahi Ahmed Maalin Sufurow as his replacement. Governor Sufurow has not officially assumed office as Jeyte refuses to step down, and local residents have reportedly elected him as the interim President of Hiiraan State, an administration not recognized by the Federal government.
Jeyte has been at odds with the leadership of the Hirshabelle administration over a proposal to centralize tax collection from the Hiiraan region. He firmly believed that such centralization would hinder ongoing efforts against al-Shabab by reallocating crucial resources away from the fight against the militant group.
The former governor has gained significant public and international support for spearheading the first public uprising against al-Shabab in Somalia, which resulted in the expulsion of the group from nearly all of the Hiiraan region in recent months.