JIGJIGA,(WDN) — Veteran nationalist and former political prisoner Abdikarim Muse Qalbi-Dhagax has been elected as the new chairman of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), following internal election held in Jigjiga, the capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State.

The election of Abdikarim Qalbi-Dhagax has garnered strong backing from the faction of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) aligned with Somali Regional State President Mustafa Cagjar and Ethiopian government. This marks a significant political development within the ONLF, an organization long at the center of Somali nationalist movements in Ethiopia’s Somali region.

The ONLF is currently divided into two rival factions. One faction, closely aligned with President Cagjar, supports engagement and cooperation with the Ethiopian government. The opposing faction, led by long-time figure Abdirahman Sheikh Mahdi, remains critical of Addis Ababa, arguing that Ethiopia has failed to honor key provisions of the peace agreement signed with the ONLF following its disarmament. This faction accuses the federal government of marginalizing the Somali region and reneging on commitments related to autonomy, development, and political inclusion. The split has deepened political tensions within the ONLF and reflects broader frustrations among segments of the Somali population in Ethiopia regarding the slow pace of promised reforms

Qalbi-Dhagax is a prominent figure in Somali nationalist circles, known for his long-standing involvement in the ONLF’s political struggle and for having spent time in detention for his activism.

The election of Qalbi-Dhagax, saw over 300 ONLF members casting their votes in a contest between Qalbi-Dhagax and fellow candidate Mohamed Shariif. Qalbi-Dhagax emerged victorious with 187 votes, compared to Shariif’s 138, securing his position as the new head of one of the region’s most influential political movements.

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