Galmudug election ruling draws mixed reactions

Somalia’s Supreme Court decision to annul the election held in Galmudug State and order a fresh election has triggered mixed reactions from political groups, lawmakers and former government officials.

The Towfiiq Political Association, which had previously raised strong objections to the election results announced by the electoral commission, welcomed the court’s decision.

The group said the ruling would strengthen public confidence in both the Supreme Court and the electoral process.

Towfiiq leader Sheikh Mohamed Shakir Ali Hassan praised the ruling and called on supporters to respect the court’s decision and avoid any actions that could violate electoral laws.

“I thank the leadership of the Supreme Court for demonstrating justice. I call on Towfiiq supporters to warmly welcome the court’s decision,” Sheikh Mohamed Shakir Ali Hassan said.

Lawmakers in Somalia’s House of the People however expressed differing views over the ruling. Some supported the annulment of the Galmudug election, while others argued that the entire election should not have been cancelled and that only areas where irregularities occurred should have been affected.

MP Qaali Ali Shire Cadceed criticized the decision to invalidate the entire election, saying the court should have focused on specific areas where problems were reported.

“It may be reasonable if there is an error in one district, but to say the entire area and all the districts where the elections were conducted are invalid is unacceptable. There is no one for us to listen to, and this is clear injustice,” Qaali Ali Shire said.

MP Fa’isa Mohamed Jeyte, however, supported the Supreme Court’s decision, praising the court for rejecting the Galmudug election results.

“I support the court’s decision. If we cannot trust the court, where else should we go? The court has protected many things, including electoral ethics,” Fa’isa Mohamed Jeyte said.

MP Ilyas Ahmed Ibrahim described the Supreme Court’s decision as wrong and insufficiently considered. He also alleged that there had been both domestic and external interference, although he did not provide further details.

“To declare the entire election invalid is a mistake. The information we are receiving indicates that there has been interference from both inside and outside the country aimed at undermining Somalia’s national electoral agenda,” Ilyas Ahmed Ibrahim said.

Former Somali Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmed Isse Awad welcomed the annulment, describing it as a decision that would strengthen the authority of the Supreme Court and public confidence in the judiciary.

“The decision by the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Somalia to reject the Galmudug election is, for Somalia’s state-building, comparable to the Glorious Revolution in England in 1688 and the French Revolution of 1789, which paved the way for statehood based on independent institutions,” Ahmed Isse Awad said.

The Federal Government introduced public elections at the end of last year, with a limited number of political associations competing in elections held in Mogadishu. The process was later followed by elections in South West State, before reaching Galmudug.

The Supreme Court’s ruling therefore is said to represents a significant development in Somalia’s evolving electoral process and has renewed debate over the role of the judiciary, electoral institutions and political actors in the country’s transition toward wider public elections.

Mustaqbal