Elections for the 16 seats that have been a source of contention between Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe and President Mohamed Farmaajo will now be held in El-wak, on the Jubaland-Morocco border.
The Madobe administration in Kismayo, according to HOL, is wrapping up preparations for the El-wak elections. The installation of a polling station at the El-wak airfield is nearing completion, according to reports.
In recent days, some Jubaland ministers have also paid a visit to the location, which is guarded by Kenyan troops.
The Gedo area government barred a task group formed by Prime Minister Mohamed Roble from reaching Gerbaharey.
The task group was meant to go to Gerbaharey in the Gedo region to investigate the situation and determine whether or not elections could be held there.
Madobe has accused Villa Somalia of sending troops to Gerbaharey Airport, where the elections were supposed to take place, on several occasions.
While Farmaajo, a native of the region, has campaigned for the polls to be held in Gerbaharey, Madobe has challenged the results, citing Villa Somalia’s influence.
The Jubaland State Indirect Polls Team declared last week that elections would be held in two weeks.
It’s unclear whether the Prime Minister’s Office, which oversees the election process, will authorize the change of polling site.