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Gedo, (insidesomalia.org)-A new governor was elected Tuesday in the southwestern Somali region of Gedo in a local democratic process with minimal support from Somalia's transitional federal government, our correspondent reported.
With 32 votes up for grabs, Mr. Hussein "Farey" Sheikh Abdi received 19 votes, giving him a winning edge over the other two candidates competing for the two deputy governors were also elected by the regional delegates, namely First Deputy Gov. Mohamed Abdi and Second Deputy Gov. Mohamed "John" Burale.
The gubernatorial election, held in the Gedo provincial capital of Garbaharey, was attended by Somali lawmakers, officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Regions and Reconciliation, United Nations representatives, traditional elders and hundreds of local residents.
Adan Ibrahim O'Hersi, the former governor of Gedo, offered a brief address following the victory of new Gov. Hussein Farey, saying that he welcomes the openly democratic process by which the new governor was elected.
The former governor was appointed two years ago by Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf.
But the process that completed in Garbaharey today was organized and supported by the people of Gedo region, who worked hard to establish district councils that are representative of the region's clan dynamics.
The new governor and his regional administration face daunting tasks in Gedo, including insecurity and lack of resources to deal with conflict and poverty.
On Tuesday, at least 8 people were killed in the Gedo district of Luuq after rival militias clashed over land ownership.
Somalia's interim government spends most of its resources fighting an insurgency in Mogadishu, a factor that has crippled the government's ability to extend its authority to other regions.
Source: Shebelle Media Network
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