A protest is taking place today in the city of Beledweyne, staged by members of the public, politicians, intellectuals, and traditional elders of the Hiiraan region, who are protesting against the planned process for the Hirshabelle state election.
This demonstration follows previous calls by politicians and community leaders from Hiiraan, who stated that they do not support holding elections in the region without first reaching a mutually agreed-upon political consensus among the various stakeholders.
Demonstrators gathered in several parts of Beledweyne, with speeches and addresses discussing the region’s political situation and the Hirshabelle election expected to be delivered at the protest venues.
Politicians and traditional elders from the Xawaadle clan have held meetings in Beledweyne in recent days to deliberate on the political situation.
They stated that their position is that no election should take place in the region unless a political agreement is first reached by the concerned parties.
They also called on the public to participate peacefully in the demonstrations, stating that the goal is to clearly express the stance of those opposed to the current approach being used for the election process.
The protest comes amid an ongoing political dispute regarding the Hirshabelle state election, particularly concerning how the election is to be conducted in the Hiiraan region.
The Hirshabelle election is scheduled to take place in the two regions of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle, with plans to hold direct one-person, one-vote elections.
The electoral plan also includes elections for members of local councils and parliament, while Hiiraan faces questions and political disputes regarding how these elections will be conducted and who should first reach an agreement on electoral issues.
Some politicians and community leaders from Hiiraan insist on reaching a political solution to the dispute before launching the election process.
Organizers of the protest previously stated that the demonstration is peaceful and urged the public to refrain from any actions that could lead to unrest or confrontation.
The situation in the city of Beledweyne is drawing particular attention as it is the capital of the Hiiraan region, where political debates concerning the future of the Hirshabelle administration and the structure of political power-sharing have been ongoing in recent times.
Security preparations are also underway, with security forces expected to guard key sites in the city to prevent anything that could disrupt security.
Protesters argue that holding an election not grounded in political agreement could lead to further conflict, demanding that aggrieved parties be listened to first.
This stance is also supported by politicians and community leaders who state that dialogue among stakeholders is necessary before taking further steps regarding the election.
Meanwhile, the election plan remains in the preparation phase, making it essential for the contending political sides to find a path toward dialogue and consensus.