SSF holds concurrent elections in Mogadishu

The Somali Football Federation today held concurrent elections in different parts of the city resulting to two different presidents for the association.

The SFF’s former vice president, Ali Shiine, was elected at the Elite Hotel, while Hassan Yabarow Wiish was elected at the Jazeera Hotel in a separate election in the capital.
Both groups claim to have the legitimacy of the football association, and government officials are reportedly influencing the conflicting elections.

Today’s move may complicate the situation of the football association, which was already in trouble.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has already issued a warning to the conflicting parties of the association, and FIFA may take action that could result in Somalia’s suspension from international competitions.

The faction that held the elections elected Hassan Adan Wish Yabarow as the new President, son to former basketball federation president

The Assembly was presided over by the SFF General Secretary Yusuf Mohudin Ahmed before handing over to the Electoral Committee.

Abdi Mohamed who was unopposed was declared President by the Electoral Committee, after 34 delegates all voted yes to the new executive Committee that will serve for four years. Out of the 46 delegates 34 attended and 12 did not show up for the Assembly at Jazeera hotel

The elections had been stopped twice in November last year and February 1st, 2023 by the government.

But after several meetings led by the Prime Minister of Somalia, the Somali Football Federation  was given a go ahead to hold the General Assembly today.

“I thank the football Congress who have chosen us to lead the Football Federation for the next four years. The football community always needs to be together if we are to take football to a better level in Somalia,” said Hassan Adan Yabarow immediately after elected.

He made it clear that because of some of the challenges Somalia has had in the past, football will bring people together.

“I call upon everyone to be together. We are ready to work with everyone for the betterment of football in Somalia,” he added.

The new Executive Committee of the Somali Football Federation: Wish Hagi Yabarow (President), Mohamed Cantoobo, (1st vice president), Abdirazaq Farah Omar (2nd vice president), Omar Ahmed Abdirahman (3rd Vice president).

Committee Members: Ali Omar Hassan, Shiama Salal Mohamed, Hassan Ibrahim Mohamed and Mohamed Farah Mohamed.

Several amendments were reportedly made during the preparations for the election, including the expansion of the membership of the congress that elects the federation president. This has evoked the ire of an SFF faction, which questions the legality of this move and the intention behind it.

Ali Barre, a member of the congress, accused Shiino of adding more than a dozen members to the congress.

“I have to express my concern that it was illegal that 15 additional members were added to the congress during the preparation of an election, which I believe was a trick pulled by the acting president,” Barre said.

Football expert Hussein Abkow, however, has warned the Minister of Sports not to intervene in football matters, citing the possibility that FIFA may decide to ban Somalia from international football as a result.

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