Mogadishu – Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has strongly defended the federal government’s decision to reject the re-election of Jubbaland State President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe, describing the process as unconstitutional and “based on illegal amendments by an outdated parliament.”
Speaking in Mogadishu, the Prime Minister accused the Jubbaland administration of undermining Somalia’s federal order by altering its regional constitution without legal standing. He argued that the federal government could not recognize results born out of what he called “procedural violations that directly threaten the country’s political stability and national unity.”
The move has drawn sharp criticism from Kismayo. Jubbaland’s Minister of Information, Abdifatah Mohamed Sheikh, responded by insisting that the regional state acted within its rights. He stated that the constitutional amendments in question were necessary to strengthen governance in Jubbaland and were fully aligned with Somalia’s federal principles.
“These rights are built on the principles of equality and federal unity and are not open to general debate,” the minister said, underscoring Jubbaland’s view that Mogadishu was overstepping its mandate.
The standoff underscores long-running tensions between Somalia’s federal government and its member states, particularly over power-sharing, constitutional authority, and election processes. Analysts warn that the dispute could further complicate Somalia’s fragile state-building project at a time when the country faces security, economic, and humanitarian challenges.
No immediate resolution appears in sight, but political observers say dialogue between Villa Somalia and regional administrations remains the only path to avert deeper divisions within the federal system.