Hargeisa — Somaliland's capital Hargeisa has new city leadership after the local council voted on Tuesday to elect engineer Abdirisaq Mohamed Farah, known as "Wiiwaa," as mayor and Eng. Aadan Jama Hadi, known as "Mideeye," as deputy mayor.

The two will jointly lead the administration of Somaliland's political and economic capital for the remaining two years of the council's mandate.

The leadership vote followed a council session that removed incumbent mayor Abdikarim Ahmed Mooge and deputy mayor Khadar Ahmed Omar from office. The removal session was chaired by the governor of the Marodi Jeh region and attended by members of the regional council as well as the secretary of Hargeisa municipality.

Political analysts said the move marks the first time a sitting mayor of Hargeisa has been removed by the local council since Somaliland adopted its multi-party democratic system.

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Wiiwaa was elected to the Hargeisa Local Council in 2021 under the opposition Waddani party, while his deputy Mideeye entered the council under the Kulmiye party. A rival bloc backing candidate Khadar Noor boycotted Tuesday's session.

Mooge, who took office on June 17, 2021 alongside deputy mayor Khadar Ahmed Omar, had signalled he intended to resign, saying his tenure was originally due to expire next month. However, Somaliland's House of Elders approved a 27-month extension in April for the mandates of local councils and the House of Representatives, extending the political calendar and intensifying political tensions within the council.

The formal motion to remove Mooge and his deputy was submitted a day before Tuesday's vote.

(Reporting by Mohamed Duale; Editing by Horn Diplomat Desk)