Mogadishu, Somalia – The presidential palace in Mogadishu became a hub of political maneuvering on Tuesday as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hosted two separate high-level meetings that observers believe could shape unfolding electoral and regional dynamics.
The first meeting brought together President Hassan, Speaker of the Lower House Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe, and Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. While no formal statement followed, political insiders said discussions centered on mounting tensions within Southwest, where opposition figures and local stakeholders have been pressing for greater clarity on election timelines and power-sharing arrangements. The engagement is widely seen as part of President Mohamud’s broader effort to consolidate dialogue with federal member state leaders ahead of anticipated national consultations.
Later in the day, President Mohamud received a delegation of prominent former leaders, including ex-Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, former Speaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, and former Minister Dahir Geelle. According to officials at Villa Somalia, this forum focused on national security and preparations for upcoming elections.
Authorities were quick to stress that the two meetings were unrelated, though their proximity—with powerful current and former officials passing through the same halls just hours apart—has inevitably stirred speculation. Some analysts suggest the president is quietly working to assemble a broader political consensus before unveiling a clearer roadmap for Somalia’s next electoral phase.
None of the attendees addressed the media afterward, leaving room for interpretation. Yet the activity at Villa Somalia signals that behind the scenes, political planning is accelerating—and that key decisions may soon come into sharper public view.