MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Ahmed Madobe, on Monday declared the National Consultative Council (NCC) defunct, accusing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of overreaching his mandate and undermining the federal system.
Speaking in the southern port city of Kismayo, Madobe said President Mohamud must be “held by the hand” and prevented from continuing what he described as a dangerous drift toward centralized power, exclusionary politics, and unilateral decision-making. “Enough is enough,” Madobe said, urging Somalia’s political stakeholders to urgently convene to chart a new national course.
The Jubaland leader said he is prepared to host an inclusive dialogue aimed at restoring constitutional order and halting what he called the president’s deviation from Somalia’s political norms. He accused President Mohamud of alienating federal member states and making key electoral and constitutional decisions without consensus.
Commenting on the new political party being formed by the president, Madobe likened it to the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party of former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. However, he noted that unlike Barre’s regime, the current party lacks grassroots support and institutional control, describing it as “toothless.”
His remarks follow a recent communique by remaining NCC members—excluding Jubaland and Puntland—that recognized SSC-Khatumo as a federal member state and reaffirmed a contentious plan to implement a one-person, one-vote electoral system. The decision sparked criticism from both domestic and international observers.
The United States sharply rebuked the move, stating that any decisions altering Somalia’s federal or electoral frameworks require broad consensus. Washington has reportedly pressured President Mohamud to reverse course on constitutional changes and unilateral electoral plans, warning of potential sanctions should he fail to engage all federal member states in resolving the ongoing political impasse.
Somalia’s political climate remains deeply polarized, with fears growing over the central government’s efforts to consolidate power and sideline regional administrations, threatening the fragile federal system established after decades of conflict.
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