Puntland elects new president

The general conference of the constituent regions of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, on Wednesday elected a new president, a local source told IRIN. The conference, which has been in session in Garowe, the regional capital, since 26 August, elected Jama Ali Jama, as Puntland's new president, Ugas Bashir Ugas Abdi, one of the traditional elders attending the conference, said. Ahmad Mahmud Gunle was elected as vice-president, Ugas Bashir said. Jama Ali Jama is a former army colonel who spent time in the jails of the late dictator, Muhammad Siyad Barre, for his communist links, Somali sources told IRIN on Wednesday. A member of the Usman Mahmud sub-clan of the dominant Majerten clan, he originates from Qardo, in Bari Region of Puntland. The contest which had been expected to go into three rounds if no candidate got 235 votes from the 468 delegates, ended in the first round, Ugas Bashir said. "We were surprised by Ali Jama's strength. He got 283 votes in the first round, making him the outright winner." Ugas Bashir told IRIN that the election of Ali Jama was "a new beginning for Puntland, and marks the end of the confusion that hung over us in the past four months". Puntland declared itself autonomous in in 1998, following a conference of local elders. Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmad, was elected as the region's first president for a three-year term. Confusion over Puntland's leadership broke out at the end of June, with Abdullahi Yusuf and the former chief justice, Yusuf Haji Nur, both claiming to be president. The controversy started after Abdullahi Yusuf, whose three year term was to have ended on 30 June, claimed that his mandate had been extended by parliament for another three years. Yusuf Haji then issued a decree asserting that, under the Puntland charter, he was the legitimate authority in the region until a new administration was elected. Puntland's traditional elders meeting in Garowe in July rejected Abdullahi Yusuf's extension, and named Yusuf Haji Nur as "acting president" until the election of a new administration was held. The elders convened the general congress for this purpose. Ugas Bashir told IRIN that the election was held in "the most transparent and fair manner possible. I hope it brings to an end all the bickering of the past months." He said all those involved in the electoral process deserved praise. "We showed everyone that we can conduct something like this without resorting to guns. From tomorrow all the people of Puntland should come together as brothers," he said on Wednesday. The president-elect and the vice-president would be sworn in in Garowe on Thursday, said Ugas Bashir.