"This has been a so-called election which we even knew its result long before it took place,” said one elder in Dhusamareb who oversaw the selection of the regional lawmakers in January.

While United Nations, European Union and others chose to keep their posture under wraps, the regional bloc IGAD has called for reconciliation and dialogue in Galmudug but stopped short of endorsing the election of Ahmed Kariye Qoorqoor as the new state president. But many Somalia, both local and in the diaspora were left stunned and even felt offended after the U.S Embassy in Mogadishu tweeted its congratulation to Ahmed Qoorqoor as its Ambassador, Donald Yamamoto calls on "everyone to join peaceful dialogue & avoid violence”

Just few days before Qoorqoor’s election, other rival lawmakers of Galmudug elected Sheikh Shakir Hassan, the leader of the moderate Sufi Islamist group as the ‘Galmudug president’. These rival parliamentarians alleged the Federal Government of Somalia of manipulation and hijacking the regional electoral process by bribing lawmakers and threatening rival contestants.

Shakir’s so-called election was the second in the region. Former Galmudug president, Ahmed Duale "Haaf” claimed his re-election victory in Galkayo on January 30.

"The lawmakers were not free to meet all candidates. We were threatened and were told to keep off from other presidential aspirants,” a regional lawmaker who gave only his initial as "Mohamed” told Horn Observer.

Five other regional parliamentarians interviewed by Horn Observer confessed getting bribed by officials from the Office of Somali Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire and representatives from the Ministry of Interior.

"I cannot lie. Each lawmaker received his/her share [bribe]. I got $5000 the night before the voting day,” one of the five Galmudug State Assembly interviewed by Horn Observer said in anonymity condition.

Late last month, four candidates, the only independent rival contestants boycotted the electoral process cutting fraudulent and manipulation by the Federal Government.

"The Federal Government is clear with its intention to steal the electoral process in a broad day light by imposing its favorite candidate on Galmudug people,” presidential candidate Abdirahman Hussein Odawa claimed in a press conference on January 29 "I am telling the people of Galmudug that there will be three presidents for Galmudug as the outcome of Federal Government’s interference.”

Lawmakers in Dhusamareb are claiming that once Qoorqoor is installed as the Galmudug leader, it would be easier for Villa Somalia to rig the 2020/2021 general elections through the loyalist regional presidents.

"Despite local warnings, the plunder continued and now we have the outcome: a divided Galmudug with divided people and not recall threats posed by al-Shabaab,” said a Dhusamareb-based university lecturer, Hassan Mohamud.

QOORQOOR’S BIO

A school drop-out, Ahmed Qoorqoor is not a political apprentice but he is also not a dirt free politician and not preferential to the locals. He first came to spot in 2013 following a report by the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea which uncovered Qoorqoor’s corrupt behavior as his role of the deputy Mogadishu Port manager, the source of his ill gotten wealth.

The report stated how Ahmed Qoorqoor crooked the operations of the port by altering then modus operandi of diversion to diffuse opposition from traders and the Stevedoring Committee. Instead of overcharging handling fees, according to the report, Qoorqoor underreported the volume of cargo being imported or exported for customs purposes and made agreements with shippers to split the difference in their savings.

When President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo picked Hassan Ali Khaire as the country’s Premier in February 2017, Ahmed Qoorqoor was promoted as the State Minister for Public Works and Reconstruction where he continued to enrich himself through influence peddling and bribery taking until he was green lighted to seek the regional presidency portfolio by PM Khaire and President Farmajo and even funded his campaign.

(HORN OBSERVER)