Wednesday March 23, 2022
MOGADISHU (HOL) - Elections for the 16 seats which have been a point of conflict between Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe and President Mohamed Farmaajo will now be moved to the border town of El-wak.
HOL has learnt that the Madobe administration in Kismayo is finalising preparations for the elections to be held in El-wak. According to sources, construction of a polling centre at the El-wak airstrip is near completion.
Some Jubaland ministers have also in recent days visited the site which is secured by Kenyan troops.
A task force appointed by Prime Minister Mohamed Roble failed to reach Gerbaharey after it was blocked by the Gedo region administration.
The task force was supposed to visit Gerbaharey in Gedo region to assess the situation and establish the viability of holding elections there.
Madobe has variously accused Villa Somalia of deploying forces to Gerbaharey Airport where the elections were to take place.
While Farmaajo, who hails from the region has pushed for the elections to take place in Gerbaharey, Madobe has contested citing influence from Villa Somalia.
The State Indirect Elections Team for Jubaland announced last week elections would take place in two weeks.
It is not clear of the Office of the Prime which heads the electoral process will approve the change of polling station.