Somalia’s Jubaland State Re-Elects Ahmed Madoobe as President for Controversial Fourth Term

By: Zakeriye Ahmed

Somalia’s Jubaland regional state has re-elected Ahmed Mohamed Islam, commonly known as Ahmed Madoobe, as its leader for a fourth term in a contentious election held in the port city of Kismayo. The federal government, however, had previously dismissed the legitimacy of the vote.

Madoobe, secured 55 out of 75 votes cast by the regional parliament on Monday, winning the election in a single round of voting. He defeated his main opponent, Faysal Mohamed Mataan, who received 16 votes, and Abuukar Abdi Hassan, who earned just four votes. The fourth contender, Abdi Hassan Xajiin, withdrew from the race prior to the vote.

Following his re-election, Madoobe declared himself the only legitimate and elected leader of Jubaland. In a defiant and aggressive speech, he stated, “I don’t recognize Ethiopia or Kenya, nor do I care about anyone else. I’m the elected leader for Jubaland, there is no other president but me, and no one will dare disturb the stability of Kismayo under my watch.”

The 73-year-old leader first rose to power in May 2013, after his forces, with support from the Kenya Defence Forces, captured Kismayo from the Al-Shabaab militant group. He was re-elected for a second term in 2015 and again in 2019 in a highly controversial vote that was boycotted by the federal government.

The election was followed by a parallel vote held by opposition figures on November 23, who declared federal Senator Ilyas Badal Gaboose as the new regional president, which took place hours after a violent clash at the Agaan Hotel in Kismayo between Jubaland police and guards of opposition presidential candidates. The clash resulted in the death of one opposition guard and injuries to two police officers. Jubaland police alleged the opposition guard opened fire at a checkpoint after being stopped, while opposition leaders accused Madoobe of orchestrating the violence.

Ilyas, speaking to local media, rejected the legitimacy of Madoobe’s fourth-term election, rejecting the claims of that Jubaland security forces had surrounded his house in Kismayo.

In a further escalation, Somalia’s federal government deployed hundreds of troops to the Raas-Kambooni village near Kismayo, taking control of bases vacated by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), according to Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Aden Mohamed Ciraaqi, commander of the 18th Battalion of Somalia’s National Army’s Gorgor forces.

Madoobe accused the federal government of deploying forces to Raas-Kambooni in an attempt to destabilize the region and distract from the fight against Al-Shabaab, reminiscent of similar actions taken in 2013 under the current federal leadership.

This development came less than an hour after Madoobe’s re-election, signaling a clear escalation of tensions with the Jubaland leader, who defied federal government orders to delay indirect elections in favor of the popular elections slated for the end of 2025.

Federal Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who chaired Jubaland’s 2019 election committee, criticized the recent electoral process, calling it “unconstitutional” and urging Madoobe not to seek another term. Despite these objections, federal lawmakers from Jubaland, who were present in Kismayo for consultations, supported the election. MPs from Puntland also expressed their backing for Kismayo’s electoral process.

Amid rising tensions, Jubaland announced the suspension of cooperation with Somalia’s federal government on November 10, accusing it of constitutional violations and hindering anti-Al-Shabaab operations.

“Jubaland declares that it has suspended the cooperative relationship with the Federal Government of Somalia until it complies with the constitution of the country, respecting the wishes of the people of Jubaland,” read the state’s statement.

The election has sparked mixed reactions from political figures. Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, ex-Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, former Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh, lawmaker Abdirahman Abdishakuur Warsame, and Puntland’s regional leader Said Abdullahi Deni congratulated Madoobe on his victory but cautioned the federal government against actions that could destabilize the region.