2009 Somali presidential election

Last updated
2009 Somali presidential election
Flag of Somalia.svg
  2004 30 January 2009 2012  
  Somali President Sheik Sharif visits Balad Town 12 (7703057976) (cropped).jpg Maslah Mohammed Siad Barre.png
Candidate Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Maslah Mohammed Siad Barre
Party ARS
Electoral vote293126

President before election

Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe
Independent

Elected President

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
ARS

Indirect presidential elections were held in Somalia on 30 January 2009. [1] Due to the security situation in Baidoa, it was held in Djibouti. President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed won the election.

Contents

Background

The election was necessitated following the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed on 29 December 2008, over the dismissal of the government of Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein which was not approved by the Transitional Federal Parliament. [2] As such, the Speaker of Parliament Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe shall act as interim President until the Parliament elects a new President based on the Transitional Federal Charter within 30 days. [3] Postponing the election until a new interim parliament, which would likely include moderate Islamist opposition, was considered, [4] but Interim President Aden Madobe stated that a new president would be selected within the constitutionally mandated 30-day period. [5] On 11 January 2009 African Union Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra announced that the election would take place on 26 January, with preparations including nominations of candidates commencing on 20 January. [6]

Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein announced on his candidacy 15 January 2009. [7] Other official candidates include MP Mohamed Afrah Qanyare (an ex-Mogadishu warlord), MP Hassan Abshir Farah (a former prime minister), Ali Mohammed Ghedi (also a former prime minister), Ali Khalif Galaid (another former prime minister) and Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan (an ex-Kismayo warlord); ARS Chairman Sharif Ahmed also stated he was a contender for the presidency. [8] In total, at least sixteen candidates have stated they want to become President; the PM and the ARS chairman are seen as the most likely contenders. Due to difficulties in picking the next president, the deadline was considered to be extended; [9] despite strong pressure from the international community, the original deadline of 28 January 2009 was extended by five days, meaning the election is to be held by 2 February 2009. [10]

As planned, the Transitional Federal Parliament was enlarged to include 200 representatives from the Islamist opposition and 75 representatives of citizens' groups and diaspora representatives; the former group was sworn in on 27 January 2009. The 275 existing MPs voted 211 to 6 in favour with 3 abstentions to enlarging the TFP. [11]

Candidates

A total of fourteen candidates formally filed to stand in the election. [12] The candidates were:

Results

There were three rounds of voting. The first round of voting reduced the field of candidates to six, the second to just two, with the winner decided in a run-off round. [12] As the first round of voting began, several candidates withdrew. [13] In the first round, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed got 215 votes, Maslah Mohamed Siad 60 and Nur Hassan Hussein 59; Hussein [14] and Ali Khalif Galaid then also withdrew. [15] All candidates except Siad and Sharif withdrew after the first round of voting; Sharif won the run-off with 293 to 126 votes. [16]

CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed 21550.9529369.93
Maslah Mohammed Siad Barre 6014.2212630.07
Nur Hassan Hussein 5913.98
Ali Khalif Galaydh 317.35
Mohamed Osman Aden 255.92
Abdirahman Abdi Hussein 102.37
Ahmed Hashi Mahmoud 92.13
Awad Ahmed Ashareh 51.18
Musa Mualim Yusuf 40.95
Yusuf Azhari 20.47
Ali Hashi Dhoore 20.47
Total422100.00419100.00
Source: African Elections Database

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed</span> Former President of Somalia (1934–2012)

Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was a Somali politician and former colonel in the Somali National Army. He was one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, as well as the Puntland state of Somalia, the latter of which he served as the first president. In 2004, Ahmed also helped establish the Transitional Federal Government, which he led as President of Somalia from 2004 until 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharif Sheikh Ahmed</span> President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is a Somali politician who was the 7th President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transitional Federal Government of Somalia</span> Government of Somalia from 2004 to 2012

The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was internationally recognized as a provisional government of the Somalia from 14 October 2004 until 20 August 2012, when its tenure officially ended and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) was inaugurated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustine Mahiga</span> Tanzanian diplomat (1945–2020)

Augustine Philip Mahiga was a Tanzanian diplomat and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in 2019 and 2020. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2015 to 2019. He previously served as the Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations from 2003 to 2010 and as the UN Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia from 2010 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden</span> Somali politician

Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan is a Somali politician. He is a former Minister of Finance of Somalia, and the last speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the transitional federal government of Somalia</span>

The transitional federal government (TFG) was the government of Somalia between 2004 and 2012. Established 2004 in Djibouti through various international conferences, it was an attempt to restore national institutions to the country after the 1991 collapse of the Siad Barre government and the ensuing Somali Civil War.

After two decades of violence and civil war and after the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia captured Mogadishu and Kismayo, the TFG attempted to disarm the militias of the country in late 2006. According to the UN/World Bank's Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) coordination secretariat, "the total estimated number of militias [militia members] to be demobilized is 53,000." In 2005, they estimated that "there are 11–15,000 militia people controlling Mogadishu ."

Over the course of the Somali Civil War, there have been many revolutionary movements and militia groups run by competing rebel leaders which have held de facto control over vast areas within Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nur Hassan Hussein</span> Somalian politician (1938–2020)

Nur Hassan Hussein, popularly known as Nur Adde, was a Somali politician, who served as Prime Minister of Somalia from November 2007 to February 2009. He was from Mogadishu and part of the Abgaal sub-clan of the Hawiye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar Sharmarke</span> Former Prime Minister of Somalia

Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, popularly known as Omar Sharmarke, is a Somali diplomat and politician. From 2009 to 2010, he was the Prime Minister of Somalia. He subsequently briefly served as Somalia's Ambassador to the United States in 2014. In December 2014, Sharmarke was reappointed Prime Minister of Somalia. His term ended on 1 March 2017, and he was replaced by Hassan Ali Khaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Somali presidential election</span>

Indirect presidential elections were held in Somalia on 10 September 2012. The newly appointed Federal Parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the first president of Somalia since the dissolution of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The election had previously been scheduled for 20 August, the same day that the mandate of the TFG expired, but was rescheduled for a later date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir</span> Somali civil servant and journalist

Fahad Yasin Haji Dahir,, commonly known only as Fahad Yasin, is a Somali civil servant and politician, as well as a former journalist. He was also the campaign manager for Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed "Farmaajo" in the 2017 elections. After the elections, he was appointed Chief of Staff for Villa Somalia and then Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). Farmaajo subsequently appointed him as his national security advisor. The intelligence offices of the Somali regional governments (under the National Intelligence Directorate had appointed Abdalla Yasin Jama Mohamed Dalaf as the director of head of intelligence and submission of terrorist information for the Puntland regional government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daljir Party</span> Political party in Somalia

The Daljir Party was a liberal political party in Somalia. It developed from the tradition of socially conservative Islamism, but officially abandoned this ideology in favour of "conservative democracy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Somali presidential election</span>

Indirect presidential elections were held in Somalia on 8 February 2017. Members of parliament elected in the autumn-2016 parliamentary election elected former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to the post of President of Somalia for a four-year term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maslah Mohammed Siad Barre</span>

Maslah Mohammed Siad Barre was a Somali National Army general and son of longtime Somali ruler Mohamed Siad Barre. He was commanding the 77th Sector in Mogadishu in November 1987, and later became Chief of Staff of the Army. His appointment as Commander of the Somali Armed Forces is dated to 26 February 1989. He was being groomed to succeed his father in the presidency.

Events in the year 2020 in Somalia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Somali presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Somalia in 15 May 2022. The election was held indirectly and after the elections for the House of the People, which began on 1 November 2021 and ended on 13 April 2022.

The Political history of Somalia covers the development of the Somali government and institutional systems following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991.

References

  1. "Somali rivals to seek MPs' votes". BBC News . 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  2. "Somalia's president quits office". BBC News . 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  3. "Somali President Yusuf resigns". Financial Times . Reuters. 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  4. Sanders, Edmund (2008-12-30). "Somalia president resigns; new unity government seen". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  5. "Somalia's caretaker president says new leader to be named soon". People's Daily . 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  6. "Somali MPs to vote January 26 for new president". Khaleej Times . Agence France-Presse. 2009-01-11. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
  7. "Islamists take bases in Mogadishu". BBC News . 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  8. "Somalia's presidential election to be held in Djibouti". Garowe Online. 2009-01-23. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  9. "Somalia may delay president vote". BBC News . 2009-01-26. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  10. "Q&A: Somali presidential elections". BBC News . 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  11. Heinlein, Peter (2009-01-26). "Somali Parliament Approves Expansion Before Presidential Vote". VOA News. Archived from the original on 2009-01-31. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  12. 1 2 Clarke, David (2009-01-30). "FACTBOX-Somalia's presidential election". Reuters . Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  13. Heinlein, Peter (2009-01-30). "African Leaders Await Outcome of Somalia Presidential Election". VOA News. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  14. Clarke, David (2009-01-30). "Islamist looks set to be new Somali president". Reuters . Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  15. "Somalia: PM withdraws, Islamist leader to win presidency". Jimma Times. 2009-01-30. Archived from the original on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  16. Clarke, David (2009-01-31). "Islamist leader sworn in as Somali president". Reuters . Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-01.