Kismayo, Jubbaland – The Jubbaland administration has issued a sharp rebuke against Somalia’s federal government, accusing it of “illegal interference” in the region’s internal affairs and warning that federal maneuvers in the contested Gedo province could trigger renewed instability.
They said this in a statement released after a high-level meeting chaired by Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe, where officials expressed growing alarm over reports that federal authorities are moving ahead with plans to establish what they described as “a new regional administration” in Gedo — a territory Jubbaland has long considered integral to its jurisdiction.
“Attempts to undermine our constitutional mandate through force, manipulation or externally driven schemes will only inflame tensions and risk plunging the region back into conflict,” the Jubbaland leadership said.
The remarks come after years of bitter territorial disputes between Jubbaland and the federal government, with Gedo emerging as the core battleground. Previous internationally mediated negotiations aimed at resolving the standoff have reportedly collapsed, paving the way for renewed unilateral actions by Mogadishu.
Residents in Gedo have endured multiple cycles of militarised confrontation between rival authorities, leaving communities weary of further escalation. Jubbaland officials said they remained committed to dialogue but insisted that any settlement must respect federalism and regional autonomy as enshrined in Somalia’s constitution.
Local elders and civil society figures have also voiced concerns that the renewed wrangling could derail security gains against al-Shabaab if regional forces are pulled into political confrontation instead of counterterrorism operations.
While the federal government has not officially responded to Jubbaland’s accusations, sources in Mogadishu suggest officials view restructuring in Gedo as necessary to “restore inclusive governance” — an assertion Jubbaland leaders firmly reject as a pretext for political domination.
With tensions once again rising, observers warn that without urgent mediation, Somalia could face yet another destabilizing power struggle, just as it seeks to transition toward full political and security sovereignty.