Saturday October 24, 2026
Beledweyne (HOL) — Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar Dabageed, declared Friday that he would remain in office until an inclusive political agreement is reached, rejecting the regional administration’s planned electoral process in Jowhar.
Dabageed said he would hand over his position only after political stakeholders agreed on a new framework for governing Hirshabelle, as traditional elders and community representatives in Hiiraan began consultations over the region’s political future.
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“The traditional elders from the Hiiraan region, along with other segments of society, have initiated a consultative forum in the city of Beledweyne to discuss the political future of Hirshabelle, amid an ongoing dispute regarding the administration's electoral process,” he said.
The vice president described the Beledweyne consultations as an opportunity to resolve the political dispute and reach an agreement acceptable to the communities represented in the administration.
He urged political leaders, traditional elders and other stakeholders to participate in the discussions and work toward an inclusive governance arrangement.
Dabageed also criticized the electoral process planned for Jowhar, accusing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his political allies of attempting to control the regional election without securing broader political and community consensus.
He argued that the proposed electoral process violated both Somalia’s federal Constitution and Hirshabelle’s Constitution, insisting that local communities and clans must have a meaningful role in determining their political representation.
Dabageed called on Somali political stakeholders and international partners to support the Beledweyne consultations and help facilitate an agreement on Hirshabelle’s political transition.
His remarks come amid continuing disagreements over the regional administration’s electoral process, with some political leaders and traditional elders in Hiiraan demanding negotiations on power-sharing and representation before a new administration is formed.
The dispute has intensified as Hirshabelle prepares for its next presidential election, with incumbent President Ali Gudlawe Hussein seeking another term.