0
The holding of yesterday’s election in Jowhar was in disregard of a 7 December letter sent by the FIEIT to the HirShabelle State-Level Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (SIEIT) and the state’s President Ali Abdullahi Osoble which explicitly banned Mr. Hassan and Mr. Nur from contesting the House of the People seat, which had been allocated to the Jidle clan.
Yesterday’s vote flouts the rules established for Somalia’s 2016 electoral process by the National Leadership Forum, which invested the FIEIT with the authority to disqualify parliamentary candidates found to have violated the code of conduct or engaged in abuses and malpractices. The international community will therefore insist that the decision of the FIEIT regarding the seat allocated to the Jidle clan still stands.
Mr. Keating also welcomed the communiqué issued by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development at the 9 December extraordinary summit of heads of state and government in Addis Ababa that commended the overall progress achieved to date in the electoral process and underscored the importance of enabling the Independent Electoral Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IEDRM) to carry out its investigations of alleged electoral abuse and malpractices and ensuring acceptance and implementation of its rulings. The international community expects the IEDRM to conclude its investigations in a timely manner and to take appropriate action, including nullifying the results of the seats affected by the most egregious irregularities.
"The vote in Jowhar is deeply troubling,” said SRSG Keating. "If this outcome is allowed to stand and other egregious cases of electoral process abuse are unchallenged, then the credibility and legitimacy of the entire electoral process will be imperiled. Any spoilers who are found by the electoral implementation bodies to have violated the rules of the process must be held accountable for their actions."
# # #
Get updates from UNSOM:
unsom.unmissions.org
@UNSomalia
facebook.com/UNSomalia
flickr.com/photos/unsom
Waagacusub.net-Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto, accompanied by the Director-General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NIS), Noordin Mohamed Yusuf Haji, officially inaugurated the Yusuf Hajji High School in Masalani, Ijara, in Garissa County, North Eastern Kenya. Full Article
The First Grade Court of Mudug Region in Gaalkacyo has issued an order mandating the immediate court appearance of two defendants: Hodan Maxamud Diiriye (34) and Cabdicaasiis Nuur Xaashi Calas (65). Both individuals are accused in a case filed by complainant Marxuumad Saabiriin Saylaan Cabdille Wees & DPL and her family. Full Article
Somalia is heading toward one of its most consequential political tests as the 2026 mandate cycle draws closer, with rising disputes over who has the constitutional authority to run elections — the Federal Government in Mogadishu or the Federal Member States (FMS). Hidden beneath technical legal debates are deep power struggles that may determine the future of Somalia's federal system. The decisions taken in the next months will shape not only how elections are run, but who controls political legitimacy and state power in the coming decade. Full Article
As Galmudug prepares for a decisive state leadership contest, Liban Ahmed has emerged as a powerful consensus candidate with broad support from influential community and political blocs across the region. His candidacy is gaining momentum among Galmudug's 11 clans, many of whom describe his rise as the result of consultation rather than confrontation. Community elders, youth groups, women's organisations, and local political actors in several districts say Liban represents a stabilizing choice at a politically sensitive moment. Many describe him as a neutral figure capable of balancing competing interests in a landscape where political alliances often shift rapidly. Full Article
Mogadishu – Former Somali President and opposition leader Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has strongly condemned the arrest of Nabadoon Cabdirisaaq Nuur Xalane, who was detained today in the Somali capital after speaking out on land-grabs in Mogadishu. Full Article
London – November 15, 2025 BBC World Service has failed to fully comply with three demands issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump, following allegations that the broadcaster's Panorama program distorted a 2021 speech and damaged his public image. According to Trump's legal team, the three conditions were: Full Article
By Dahir Alasow – Investigative Journalist, Waagacusub Media Mogadishu | Waagacusub.net | November 2025 A new political alliance is taking shape in Somalia as nine influential political figures — drawn from different parties, civic movements, and government backgrounds — have united under one banner known as the Union for National Dignity (Midowga Haybad Qaran). The coalition, announced through a joint press statement in Mogadishu, aims to create a unified political front capable of "restoring national cohesion, governance integrity, and public confidence in Somalia's democracy." Full Article
Tel Aviv – Waagacusub News International -The Israeli television network i24NEWS has for the first time published a detailed explanation of why Israel strongly opposes any potential Turkish presence inside Gaza. Full Article
After months of waiting, the long-anticipated wage proposal from Dutch media employers has finally arrived—and it has sparked widespread disappointment across the journalism sector. Full Article
The Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Waagacusub Media , Dahir Abdulle Alasow, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Jacob Frey following his re-election as the Mayor of Minneapolis. Full Article
Washington – U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the immediate cancellation of deportation protections for Somali nationals living in the state of Minnesota, sending shockwaves through one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the world. In a strongly worded post shared online, President Trump stated: "Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It's OVER!" The message has triggered widespread fear among Somali immigrants and families in Minnesota, many of whom have lived in the United States for decades and built stable communities.
By Dahir Abdulle Alasow – Investigative Sports Journalist Amsterdam – 18 November 2025 =The Dutch national football team is celebrating a historic achievement after officially qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a dominant 4–0 victory over Lithuania in Amsterdam on Monday night.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – In a move highlighting Ethiopia's growing focus on Gulf partnerships, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Ambassador Jamal Bakar, a senior diplomat from the Somali Regional State, as the country's new Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
By Dahir Alasow – Investigative Journalist, Waagacusub Media Mogadishu | Waagacusub.net | November 2025 A new political alliance is taking shape in Somalia as nine influential political figures — drawn from different parties, civic movements, and government backgrounds — have united under one banner known as the Union for National Dignity (Midowga Haybad Qaran). The coalition, announced through a joint press statement in Mogadishu, aims to create a unified political front capable of "restoring national cohesion, governance integrity, and public confidence in Somalia's democracy."
Tensions, celebrations, and disappointment have swept across Somali social media circles following the fiercely contested Minneapolis mayoral election, where the race took on deep clan and community undertones among the city's large Somali diaspora.
A community report circulating among Somali residents in Minnesota has raised allegations suggesting that former Somali Finance Minister Abdirahman Duale Beileh may have indirect links to individuals involved in the "Feeding Our Future" fraud case, one of the largest federal financial investigations in the state's history. The allegations have not been confirmed by U.S. authorities, and no official charges have been filed against Beileh. Full Article
Waagacusub.net - Turkey has openly indicated that 2026 could become the historic year in which Somalia officially begins oil drilling and exploitation of its natural resources—a move that, if implemented, could fundamentally reshape the country's economic future. Full Article
Waagacusub.net – An Israeli military officer identified as Thomas Adzegaouskas, who reportedly took his own life last week, left behind a disturbing suicide note describing severe psychological trauma he claims began after the events of October 7th, 2023, according to Israel's Haaretz newspaper. Full Article
Somalia's Foreign Minister Abdisalam Omer Dhaay has quickly become one of the most promising and effective young diplomats to emerge in recent years. In a political landscape too often dominated by internal disputes and inconsistent foreign policy, Dhaay stands out for his professionalism, clarity, and modern diplomatic approach. Full Article
Waagacusub.net - Somali-British boxing champion Ramla Ali has revealed that the United States government denied her entry into the country, preventing her from participating in a major match scheduled for 19 December. Full Article
Hormuud's Assault on African Peacekeepers Figure 14: African Peace Keepers Hormuud launched a scorching public campaign against the Kenyan military forces in AMISOM in late August 2019. Full Article
Former Intel official stripped from NISA membership Full Article
PM KHEYRE USELESS AND COSTY OVERSEAS TRIPS. Full Article
Abiy says 'New Year' will be celebrated in Eritrea, Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights Full Article
Massive rise in Islamist militant attacks in Africa Full Article
Somalia:International community expresses grave concern over holding of lower house election in HirShabelle won by disqualified candidate
Mogadishu, 11 December 2016 – The United Nations, African Union, European Union, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, Ethiopia, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States are gravely concerned about the holding of a vote in