Traditional elders and prominent figures from the Hawadle clan in Somalia's Hiiraan region have announced that officials representing the Hirshabelle administration will be barred from landing at airports in Hiiraan until a political agreement is reached. The decision was made to pressure the Hirshabelle administration to address the Hawadle community's grievances over the region's election process. The elders emphasized that airports would remain open to the public, but delegations and aircraft linked to the Hirshabelle administration would not be allowed to land.
The announcement marks a further escalation in a weeks-long dispute over the formation of Hirshabelle's next administration. Hawadle political leaders and traditional elders have repeatedly demanded that elections in Hiiraan be suspended until an agreement is reached over political representation and power-sharing. The dispute has intensified ahead of the planned Hirshabelle leadership election, with various stakeholders calling for an inclusive agreement to be reached.
Traditional elder Abdi Mumin Guled stated that residents of Hiiraan had longstanding political grievances with both the federal government and the Hirshabelle administration. Guled emphasized the need for dialogue to address these grievances, stressing that the rights claimed by the Hawadle community were legitimate and deserved to be recognized. The elders also warned against bringing ballot boxes or conducting indirect elections in Hiiraan before an agreement is reached.
The Hawadle community itself remains politically divided, with a separate Hawadle political council led by former Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Osoble backing incumbent President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlaawe and supporting participation in the planned election. Guudlaawe has been nominated by the Justice and Unity Party (JSP) as its candidate for another term, a decision that has intensified opposition from Hawadle leaders demanding the Hirshabelle presidency and changes to the existing power-sharing arrangement.
Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Hagar Dabageed has also warned against holding elections in Hiiraan without political consensus, emphasizing the need for consultations to include traditional elders, politicians, civil society groups, and other local stakeholders. The dispute highlights the challenges facing the Hirshabelle administration in addressing the demands of various stakeholders and ensuring a peaceful and inclusive election process.
The Hirshabelle state was created in 2016, comprising the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions. Disagreements over representation and the allocation of senior positions have repeatedly strained relations between political leaders from the two regions. The current dispute underscores the need for a lasting solution to these issues to ensure stability and effective governance in the region.
The situation in Hiiraan remains tense, with the blockade of Hirshabelle officials from airports likely to continue until a political agreement is reached. The international community and Somali federal government may need to intervene to facilitate dialogue and negotiations between the various stakeholders, ensuring that the election process is peaceful, inclusive, and reflective of the will of the people.
Key points
- Traditional elders from the Hawadle clan have blocked Hirshabelle officials from landing at Hiiraan airports until a political agreement is reached over the region's election process.
- The dispute highlights the challenges facing the Hirshabelle administration in addressing the demands of various stakeholders and ensuring a peaceful and inclusive election process.
- The situation in Hiiraan remains tense, with the blockade of Hirshabelle officials from airports likely to continue until a political agreement is reached.
