Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a former Somali president voted out of power in 2017 has been reelected to the country’s number one position after defeating the incumbent leader in a protracted contest decided by legislators in the third round of voting.
Local reports have it that Mohamud, who served as Somali president between 2012 and 2017, won the contest in the capital, Mogadishu, amid a security lockdown imposed by authorities to prevent deadly militant attacks. It was clarified that the first round of voting was contested by 36 aspirants, four of whom proceeded to the second round. With no candidate winning at least two-thirds of the 328 ballots, voting then went into a third-round where Mohamud won by a simple majority.
It was reported that members of the upper and lower legislative chambers picked the president in secret balloting inside a tent in an airport hangar within the Halane military camp, which is protected by African Union peacekeepers. Mohamud’s election ended a protracted electoral process that raised political tensions — and heightened insecurity concerns — after President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s mandate expired in February 2021 without a successor in place.
In a swift reaction, the United Nations in Somalia welcomed the conclusion of the country’s presidential election, praising the “positive” nature of the electoral process and peaceful transfer of power.
Harping on the development, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, said “I would like to congratulate the newly-elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on his victory tonight”.
Also, Swan expressed “our appreciation to the other candidates, and particularly outgoing President Mohammed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo,’ for respecting the outcome and for continuing the Somali tradition of embracing whoever wins and supporting them going forward – the atmosphere tonight, I think, was very positive”.
The top UN official in Somalia was speaking at the conclusion of the election, at the venue in Mogadishu known locally as the “hangar,” located near the Aden Adde International Airport, where he and other representatives of Somalia’s international partners had been invited.
Delineating on the development, Swan averred that the electoral process had been a long one, as well as actively competitive – and that focusing on domestic and state-building priorities should now become the focus of attention.
He said “There have been some difficult moments in this lengthy election. However, I believe that tonight’s process demonstrated that it was a genuine horse race, that it was a competitive election, and that there was an opportunity for all of the candidates to contest fairly, and, so I think this is an opportunity now to demonstrate that the outcome is credible”.
“Now it’s time for Somalis and for Somalia’s friends to come together to support the new government as it is installed, and to work on the critical national priorities that still face Somalia”
“There’s much work to be done, and we look forward to being Somalia’s partners going forward,” he said.
In his words, some of the country’s critical priorities include finishing the constitutional review process, addressing urgent needs for improved development, security and the current drought.
