Jubaland leader plans to oust Somalia’s govt, says PM 

Somalia

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Monday accused the defiant leader of Jubaland, Ahmed Madobe, of conspiring to oust his government and position himself to consolidate power in an upcoming indirect election, which is set to proceed despite vehement opposition from the federal authorities. 

In the first speech he criticized his former ally, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre accused Ahmed Madobe of breaching all agreements he had previously signed with the federal government, urging the people of Jubaland to unite in efforts to avert a looming constitutional crisis and power vacuum. 

He cautioned against the deployment of military forces in the ongoing stalemate over the regional election, urging regional troops to remain focused on combating militants and refrain from political involvement, warning that any such use of security forces would be deemed a criminal act and could jeopardize the integrity of the security apparatus built over the past decade. 

With his face etched in fury and his voice brimming with anger, Barre’s message was unmistakable: the political showdown between his government and Jubaland’s president—once an ally—has now begun in earnest. However, whether his speech signals strength or exposes weakness in his authority, and whether it will force Madobe to bend and reintegrate into the system, remains an open question. 

The comments followed a refusal by Jubaland authorities to allow Barre’s plane to land in Kismayo, the stronghold of Jubaland and the seat of Ahmed Madobe’s power, with images circulating on social media showing the runway obstructed by stones, seemingly in a deliberate attempt to block incoming flights. 

Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe is resolutely pursuing an indirect election, in which a carefully selected group of MPs, chosen by local elders, would elect him, with weak and pliant rival candidates handpicked to ensure his unchallenged return to power. In response, the Somali federal government has firmly rejected this scheme, demanding instead a popular vote to be held across the regional states —though critics raise concerns about the viability of such an election, given the persistent instability and conflict that continues to grip the south and central regions of the country. 

Madobe has triumphed over previous federal presidents in a series of protracted conflicts, bolstered by the support of Kenyan troops stationed in and around his power base; yet it remains to be seen whether he can replicate this success against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the current showdown, or whether he will be compelled to yield and submit. 

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