Ahmed Duale Gelle "Haaf" (Axmed Ducaale Geele): businessman and president of Galmudug, 2017 to 2020

Who is he?

Ahmed Duale Gelle (Somali: Axmed Ducaale Geele), known as Haaf or Xaaf, was the fifth president of Galmudug, from 3 May 2017 to 2 February 2020. Before that he was a businessman and a member of the federal parliament (Wikipedia, Ahmed Duale Gelle). He was born in Gaalkacyo, in Mudug, and is from the Habar Gidir, Hawiye. He graduated in economics from the Somali National University in Mogadishu (same source).

Business and parliament

Hiiraan Online described him in 2017 as "a prominent businessman" who had been a federal member of parliament but lost his seat in the 2016–2017 federal elections (Hiiraan Online, 3 May 2017).

Election, 2017

On 3 May 2017 the Galmudug state assembly elected him president in Cadaado. He led in the first round and beat Ahmed Sharif in the second, with 53 of 89 votes. He replaced Abdikarim Hussein Guled, who had stepped down in February 2017 citing health reasons. In his victory speech he promised to work on security and to cooperate with neighbouring states (Hiiraan Online).

He was inaugurated in Cadaado on 29 May 2017. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed attended, with the presidents of Jubaland and Puntland, the president of South West State, the vice president of Hirshabelle and the UN Special Representative, Michael Keating. International partners urged him to meet Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a, and he promised talks with the group and solutions to the conflict in Gaalkacyo between Galmudug and Puntland (Wikipedia). See Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a.

Handover, 2020

In January 2020, after the election of his successor, he refused to hand over power, saying the federal government had "handpicked" the winner against "the wishes of my people" and that his own term ran to 2021 because his administration had been set up late. After talks in Dhuusamarreeb he handed over to Ahmed Abdi Karie "Qoorqoor" at a ceremony there. He said: "I will work closely with the new administration and possibly give advice whenever it's sought. The spirit of brotherhood supersedes our personal interests" (Garowe Online, February 2020).

Sources disagree

• Year of birth. Wikipedia's infobox gives 8 July 1949; the same article's text says he was born in 1945 (Wikipedia).
• His name. Spellings include Gelle, Geele and Geelle, and Haaf or Xaaf (Hiiraan Online; Garowe Online).