Legislators pick Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, a former Somali prime minister, to lead the semi-autonomous region.
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Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland has chosen Abdiweli Mohamed Ali as president in a vote held in Garowe the regions capital, amid tight security.
Abdiweli unseated the incumbent President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole in a tightly contest run-off poll. Ali is a former prime minister of Somalia under Sheikh Sharif. Ali garnered 33 votes as opposed to Farole's 32.
No candidates secured the required two-thirds majority in the first and second round of voting. Farole won the first two rounds of voting with comfortable margins.
Eight candidates were eliminated in the first round voting. The whole voting processes was broadcast live on local TVs and radio stations.
Puntland declared itself to be semi-autonomous from Somalia in 1998 as fighting raged through most of the country. Since then the region of about 2.5 million people has had four presidents, all selected by MPs who were in turn selected by clan elders.
Polls were originally set for July last year but were postponed after government said the risk of violence was too great for voting to be held.
Farole accepted the results and thanked "those who worked with him".
Source: Aljazeera english
Somalia: President Farole and ex-President Adde Agree to Support Puntland Elections 2014
PRESS RELEASE
29 December 2013
The President of Puntland State of Somalia H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole) held a closed-door meeting Sunday at the State House in the Puntland capital Garowe with former Puntland President Gen. Mohamud Muse Hersi (Adde).
Speaking at a joint press conference after their meeting, Gen. Adde Muse said that the outcome of their meeting was positive.
“I have always worked to keep the peace in Puntland. The President [Farole] and I agreed that credible election is held and to fully support and to work with the winner,” said Gen. Adde.
Continuing, Gen. Adde said: “We support the outcome of the Committee [Vetting and Conflict Resolution Committee] to issue the new Parliament and to recognize the result and work with the [election] winner”.
Gen. Adde said: “I pray to Allah that the election takes place as we wish. I am sure that the United Nations officials who are present here, Gen. Said Dheere [Gen. Said Mohamed Hersi], and the [Puntland] Government have worked together on security”.
For his part, President Farole said: “I am very pleased to meet at the Puntland State House with former President Mohamud Muse Hersi ‘Adde’ and that he has clarified his position in front of you all and what we had discussed”.
President Farole said that, “anyone who expected something from us, what we are telling you here today is indeed what to expect from us,” adding: “We are the two most senior politicians in Puntland today and we agreed, as he [Gen. Adde] said, to promote peace, cooperation, unity, and brotherhood, to complete the ongoing process, currently in the hands of the Vetting and Conflict Resolution Committee, to support the outcome, and afterwards for the new Parliament to sit on January 1, 2014, to hold the presidential election on January 8 [2014], and to agree and support anyone who wins the election. This is what we discussed and agreed upon.”
Continuing, President Farole appealed “to the Puntland people, the international community, and all those who support peace, such as Horn of Africa region and the African Union, who are interested in peace and stability of Somalia, can hear this news today from us. I appeal to our people to uphold the peace, unity and solidarity of Puntland, in order to form a united front against our political enemies and the enemy that is creating insecurity across Somalia, which Puntland is part of”.
Finally, President Farole commended the Puntland Security Committee – led by Gen. Said Mohamed Hersi (Dheere) – “who are working on upholding the peace in Garowe and across Puntland, in order for the election to take place in a state of peace,” adding: “Everyone living in Puntland including those who entered Garowe should play a positive role in peace. The people should have a positive spirit and we hope that Allah will assist us, as we agreed”.
The joint press conference concluded with President Farole and Gen. Adde Muse shaking hands and posing for photographs under the flying flags of Somalia and Puntland at the State House.
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