Somali FA denounces NOCSOM claims, endorses regional football committee election

Somali Football federation has fully lauded for the outcome of the recent election of Lower Jubba regional football committee, which the Somali Football federation termed as a 'free and fair' election whilst endorsing the chairman elected and his committee, according to a press statement issued at the SFF headquarters here in Mogadishu on Sunday.

During its monthly meeting on Sunday the SFF executive committee congratulated the new Lower Jubba regional football committee chairman Mr. Burhan Mahmoud Hassan and his Secretary General Ahmed Farah Taqal on their successful election which took place in the southern port town of Kismayo on 26^th of November.

"Somali FA delegation under the leadership of deputy secretary general Dr. Hassan Mohamed Mahmoud witnessed the election which was held in accordance with the SFF constitution and international football principles according to the reports gathered by our delegation” Somali Football Federation secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab said in a press statement.

The statement noted that 4 districts out of the region’s 5 districts voted in favour of Mr. Burhan whose committee will serve for one year-period starting from the date of election. A new committee will be elected then which will serve for a four-year term. The statement said that witnessing or monitoring such elections was the work of Somali Football Federation denying claims by Somali NOC official who said that he monitored the election.

"It was really something very surprising when we heard in the media the Somali NOC secretary general claiming he monitored the region's football committee recent election, because it was an issue of football and had nothing to do with Somali NOC—we call them to justify for such mistake” the Somali FA secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab emphasized adding that it was not the first time that the Somali NOC claimed what wasn’t heir job.

"The SFF is encouraging all regions in the country to hold their local elections; we don’t accept that regional governors appoint local football committees, because football authorities are elected according the international football regulations, so we call other regions in the country to follow such steps and the SFF will send monitoring delegations to all regions in the country” Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab said in his press statement Sunday.

The secretary General said that with Somalia currently emerging from decades of civil wars and lawlessness, the Somali Football Federation has been pushing forward that every region in the country holds its local football committee election adding that Somali FA was praising the Lower Jubba football volunteers for becoming pioneers while others expected to follow soon.

PICTURES OF THE ELECTION