BAIDOA, Somalia — The Somali Federal Government has enacted a nighttime curfew in Baidoa, prohibiting civilians from carrying weapons in the city during evening hours, with exceptions for authorized security personnel.
This decision follows heightened security measures implemented amid political tensions stemming from recent administrative changes in the South West State.
Somali Police Commissioner Asad Osman Abdullahi, who recently met with local police officers, has directed immediate reinforcement of security throughout the city. The Police Chief convened a high-level strategic gathering with all police personnel deployed in Baidoa, updating commanding officers on prevailing security conditions following profound political developments in the area.
Weapons Ban and Security Protocols
The directive specifically forbids weapons within Baidoa at night, allowing only official forces such as police and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) officers to be armed. Authorities have also intensified night patrols and instituted more rigorous inspections of vehicles and individuals entering the city.
While police are responsible for maintaining internal security in Baidoa, the Somali National Army is positioned on the city’s perimeters to provide additional defense.
Unarmed groups not yet integrated into national forces have been ordered to remain at their bases during the integration process and are prohibited from bringing weapons into the urban area.
Political Context Behind the Crackdown
These measures coincide with federal authorities assuming direct control of Baidoa and advancing plans to organize one-person, one-vote elections, following recent political and security developments in South West State. The federal government’s intervention follows the controversial removal of former regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen) last week, which has sparked significant political tensions between Mogadishu and regional stakeholders.
However, the federal takeover has not been without criticism. Member of Parliament Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s decision to unilaterally appoint an interim administration for South West State, describing the executive action as a blatant and illegal breach of both the Federal and State Constitutions. The prominent parliamentarian stressed that it is constitutionally overreaching for the central government in Mogadishu to establish an administration for a federal member state that already possesses its own established, functioning constitutional institutions.
Diverging Views on One-Person, One-Vote
Federal authorities remain committed to implementing universal suffrage in South West State. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has declared that there will be no elections in Baidoa or across Southwest other than a one-person-one-vote process, warning opposition politicians who have expressed support for Laftagareen against attempting any alternative electoral framework.
The Prime Minister said there will be no political vengeance and that no one will be allowed to disrupt security in Baidoa, which is now under the control of the national army. “We will not allow, in any way, disorder, revenge, clan-based discrimination or any trouble in Baidoa,” Prime Minister Hamza stated.
The push for direct elections, however, faces strong opposition from the presidents of Puntland and Jubaland, who are united in the Somali Future Council, reflecting deeper fissures within Somalia’s federal system as the nation approaches highly contentious national elections due this year.
