The election of the President of the Puntland State of Somalia was held on Wednesday this week (January 8) in Puntland’s capital, Garowe. Former Somali Prime Minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, was elected President, defeating incumbent President Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud Farole in the third round of voting by a single vote. No candidates secured the required two-thirds majority in the first and second round of voting, though Abdirahman Farole led in both rounds. Most candidates were eliminated in the first round voting. In the third round, President-Elect Abdiweli Gas won 33 votes of the total 66 votes, while President Abdirahman Farole got 32 votes, with one vote spoilt. The whole voting processes was broadcast live on local TVs and radio stations and observers included Mr. Nicolas Kay, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Somalia; Ambassador Michele Cervone d’Urso, EU ambassador to Somalia; Ambassador Mohammed Affey, the Special envoy of IGAD to Somalia; Ambassador Wondimu Asamenw, Ethiopian Ambassador to Somalia; and other international representatives.
Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, who has an MA from Harvard and a Ph D in Economics from the George Mason University, Washington, served as a minister and Prime Minister of Somalia under Somali President Sheikh Sharif. He was appointed Prime Minister of Somalia in June 2011 and remained in office until October 2012 when the new president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud appointed Abdi Farah Shirdon to replace him. He also stood as a candidate for the presidency of Somalia in 2012. In his acceptance speech, the new President expressed gratitude for the work of his predecessor and his administration. He pledged to defend and adhere to the Puntland Constitution and called for collaboration in development and security. After the announcement of his victory, the new president said “I am congratulating those of you who voted for me and those who voted against me,” adding “rest assured that I will deal with you equally.” Former President Abdirahman Farole felicitated Abdiweli on his victory, accepted the results and reminded his successor of the responsibility now bestowed upon him as leader. He called on all government officials, workers and security forces to cooperate with the new leadership. In an editorial, the website Garowe online, said “the true victor of the Puntland electoral process is the Puntland people and their politicians, who have built Puntland’s political foundations capable holding peaceful elections where the contestants concede to the victor in an openly democratic and transparent manner. This is the true victory and today Puntland remains a shining example and role model for other states of Federal Somalia to follow.”
Somali President Mohamud congratulated Abdiweli Mohammed Ali, describing the result as “a victory for the new Somalia.” He said he looked forward to working closely with him as the government continues to build a federal Somalia. President Mohamud said Puntland was a model for the rest of the country and he said the campaign had been carried out in a civilized manner and “Puntland had shown the rest of Somalia and the world that the democratic culture is alive and well here and this is what must guide us as we rebuild our country.” He also praised the Puntland Parliament for its “remarkably responsible role” managing the electoral process”, noting that “the people’s representatives have spoken with their votes today, bringing to a close a productive political campaign in which the many issues facing Puntland were vigorously debated.” The traditional elders of Puntland, the Electoral Commission and the courageous security forces deserve every credit for making this process such a success.”
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif, also congratulated the new President of Puntland. Ambassador Annadif pledged the support of AMISOM to the government and the people of the Puntland state and said he looked forward to working with him in his new role. He paid tribute to the outgoing President, Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, for his leadership in enabling the Puntland state to register tremendous achievements on the political and security front. Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed said this was a great day not just for Puntland but all of Somalia, adding that Puntland was “leading the way on the development towards a federal Somalia and serves as an example to other states.”
Other congratulations came from Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and from the UN Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, who welcomed the smooth and peaceful transfer of power and the constructive role of the outgoing President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, noting that “despite numerous challenges, through compromise and perseverance, the Puntland-led process had achieved its goal of selecting the region’s new leadership.” He said Puntland was “leading the way on the development of a federal Somalia”, adding that the United Nations supported the people of Puntland and all of Somalia as “they move together towards peace, reconciliation, democracy and prosperity.” Ambassador Michele Cervone d’Urso described the vote as a positive development for Somalia’s democratization process and urged national reconciliation. The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif also said the election had demonstrated the maturity of the Puntland people.
One of the new President’s first tasks will be to deal with relations with the Government in Mogadishu. Puntland severed its ties with the Federal Government in August last year, accusing it of failing to distribute power or share resources including foreign aid with the regional state. The former president had accused the Federal Government in Mogadishu of adopting a “defective” constitution. President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali will also have to deal with security problems (the port of Bosasso was hit by a suicide car bombing last month with seven killed and nearly forty injured) and the aftermath of the tropical cyclone which hit the region in November, killing at least 300 people and causing widespread devastation along the coast, destroying houses and villages as well thousands of livestock.
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Source: A Week in the Horn, Jan 10, 2014. Originally titled, “Election of a new President for the Puntland State of Somalia”.
