ELWAQ (SD) – The Jubbaland State Electoral Commission (SIET) has today begun Jubaland’s second city elections of 16 members of the 11th parliament in Elwaq district in Gedo region.

The President of the Jubaland State of Somalia, Ahmed Mohamed Islam, and the Chairman of the Federal Electoral Committee (FIET) Muse Gueleh Yusuf were present in Elwaq district in Gedo region, to oversee the process.

The committee today held the election of 8 of the 16 members of parliament, and was won by members of the Somali government.

In all of the eight seats up for grabs in Elwaq today, were not contested, and some of the incumbent candidates were have already returned to Mogadishu.

The Elwaq elections come at a time when some members of the electoral committee members are in Garbaharey, and are attempting to hold a separate elections for different slate of MPs.

On the other hand, an statement issued by the office of the outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo stated that the parallel elections in Garbaharey and Elwaq are illegal and violate the Indirect Elections Directive passed by both Houses of the Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic.

The President pointed out that amendments to the September 17 Agreement and the accompanying procedures require a political agreement to be renegotiated by members of the National Consultative Forum, instructing them to convene immediately to find a lasting solution for the 16 seats in Garbaharey.

Members of the National Consultative Forum and the Electoral Commission have not yet responded to the Somali president’s criticism and request.