AFTER WITNESSING a democratic local football election without interference from regional autonomy, the Somali Football Federation has crowned the Lower Jubba region the host site for the first development courses in 2015.

Somali Football Federation Chief Media officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar (ISLOW) said in a press statement on Thursday that three empowerment football-related courses will be staged in the provincial capital of Kismayo, a key port town that was once under Islamist control.

"Arrangements for three development courses are now under way. The courses are: coaching course, refereeing course and sports administration course and as shown in the SFF annual plans all three courses will take place sometime in February 2015” SFF Media officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin said in a press statement on Thursday.

"The SFF would like to congratulate the region’s people in general and football family members in particular for attracting the attention of SFF and that is because of the free and fair election which was held in the region in line with the SFF regulations and as well as the international football principles.” The Media Officer said.

He urged other regional administrations in the country to learn from the good examples shown by the Lower Jubba authorities who haven’t interfered in the recent local football committee election in the region.

"Football officials in all regions must come through elections, because the SFF will not accept government-appointed football officials—according to FIFA status, football authorities are elected but not appointed by governments, so I would like to urge authorities of regional autonomies in the country to let football people elect their leaders” the SFF media officer said in his statement.

The statement praised the region’s authorities for understanding the power and the importance that football has for the creation of public integration, peace building and development in a country ravaged by decades of civil wars.

As shown in the development strategy drawn by the visionary president of Somali Football Federation Mr. Abdiqani Said Arab, the Somali FA is planning to implement the biggest number of development programs in the country in the SFF history.

The plan is part of the ‘spread the football’ program which is mainly intended to help every single Somali get access to football.

By Omar Mohamud Wardere
Somali Football Federation Media Department