Somaliland Welcomes Four Defecting MPs from North Eastern State Parliament

HARGEISA – Four members of the North Eastern State parliament who recently resigned have arrived in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, where they were received with a ceremonial welcome and officially defected to the breakaway republic. The lawmakers renounced the cause of Somaliweyn (Greater Somalia) and publicly aligned themselves with Somaliland, dealing a significant symbolic blow to the regional administration in Las Anod.

The defectors, who had been among the most vocal supporters of the North Eastern State movement that ousted Somaliland forces from Laascaanood in 2023, were received at the border by senior Somaliland officials, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Yasin Faratoon and Interior Minister Abdalle Mohamed Arab (Sandheere). Their arrival comes just days after the North Eastern State parliament moved to strip them of their parliamentary immunity and privileges, following charges of “national betrayal” filed by the state’s Prosecutor General. On Sunday, the parliament convened an emergency session and voted to strip the five lawmakers of their privileges and immunity, with 57 members approving the measure, according to Speaker Dr. Aadan Abdullahi Aw-Hassan. The five MPs are Makhtal Saciid Maxamuud, Cabdisalaan Cabdillaahi Cabdiraxmaan, Sidiiq Jaamac Muuse, Axmed Cali Maxamed, and Axmed Caabi Xasan.

A Dramatic Reversal for the North Eastern State

The defection marks a dramatic reversal for figures who were once symbols of the region’s defiance against Somaliland’s territorial claims. The North Eastern State, formerly known as SSC-Khatumo, was established after local forces ousted Somaliland’s administration from Laascaanood in 2023 following months of intense fighting.

In a statement to the media upon their arrival, one of the defectors claimed that they had come to realise that “the greatest problem affecting our people originates from Mogadishu,” a sentiment that aligns with Somaliland’s narrative of rejecting federal authority. The defectors’ decision to renounce the cause of Somaliweyn and embrace Somaliland echoes the move made earlier this month by Fahiima Yuusuf Quuje, a former North Eastern State MP who defected to Hargeisa after resigning and fleeing the region. Quuje’s departure came just days before the parliament was scheduled to vote on lifting her immunity on charges of “national betrayal.”

A Broader Pattern of Defections

The arrival of the four MPs follows a pattern of high-profile political shifts between Somaliland and the North Eastern State. In 2023, the deputy leader of Somaliland’s ruling Kulmiye Party, Hussein Aden Adde, defected to the North Eastern State, commending the region’s resistance against Somaliland forces. The same year, Somaliland’s Speaker of Parliament, Abdirisakh Khalif Ahmed, also resigned to join the North Eastern State movement. The North Eastern State parliament, which elected Adan Abdullahi Aw-Hassan as its inaugural Speaker in August 2025, has struggled to maintain cohesion.

Fahiima Quuje, who was present at the welcome ceremony, used the occasion to call on her former colleagues still in the North Eastern State to follow suit. “I say to them: this team is not complete, and more will come. People should be returned to their places, their regions, and they will carry the flag of peace of Somaliland,” she said.

A Governance Vacuum and Political Fractures

The defections come as the North Eastern State marks its first anniversary, a period that has been marred by internal political fractures and a governance vacuum. The administration’s reliance on community leaders to take the lead in peacemaking is a recognition of its own institutional weakness. The assembly was established only in 2025, and its ability to maintain cohesion and loyalty among its members remains untested.

Somaliland has slammed Mogadishu over the creation of the North Eastern State, warning of a civil war risk and describing the move as a “reckless provocation” that “violates the will of the people of Somaliland, disregards historical realities, and escalates an already volatile situation”.

A Propaganda Victory for Somaliland

The defection of the four MPs is a significant propaganda victory for Somaliland, which has long sought to undermine the North Eastern State’s claim to the Sool region. Their high-profile welcome in Hargeisa is designed to send a message that Somaliland remains a viable alternative for those disillusioned with the North Eastern State administration. In 2023, the deputy leader of Somaliland’s ruling Kulmiye Party, Hussein Aden Adde, defected to the North Eastern State, commending the region’s resistance against Somaliland forces. For the North Eastern State, the defections are a bitter blow, coming just as the region marks its first anniversary.

Way Forward

The defection of the four MPs is a stark reminder of the fragility of Somalia’s federal experiment. The North Eastern State’s inability to retain the confidence of its own legislators raises serious questions about its legitimacy and effectiveness. If the region is to survive as a viable federal member state, its leadership must address the grievances that have driven so many of its representatives to walk away.

For now, the defections stand as a powerful rebuke to President Firdhiye and his administration. The lawmakers who have stepped down have made their position clear: they will not be silent participants in a project they believe has lost its way. The arrival of the four MPs in Hargeisa is a stark reminder that the battle for the soul of the North Eastern State is far from over.