Hiiraan Online

Kenya Defence Force in Amisom's Sector II has been caught in a disagreement between the Somalia Federal government and the recently liberated areas in Southern Somalia following the establishment of Jubaland State, the Star has established.

KDF are in a dilemna on whether to allow a rival group, intent on disrupting the formation of a regional Jubaland state administration, into Kismayu as requested by Amisom Mogadishu.

The new Jubaland President, Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islam alias Sheikh Madobe, was elected on May 15 2013.

Madobe was the leader of the Ras Kamboni Brigade that was part of the forces that assisted Amisom troops to liberate large parts of southern Somalia from al Shabaab militants .

Delegates who attended the Jubaland Conference for Establishment of Regional State accused Somalia Federal government's President Sheikh Hassam Mohamud of attempting to impose an unpopular former Defense minister and warlord Barre Hirale.

Hirale was working at a Mogadishu shipping company, associated with Hassam's relative and whose vessels were leased by AMISOM. He arrived in Kismayu three weeks before the Jubaland State elections and is alleged to have been bribed so as to disrupt the process.

Hirale declared himself president a day after Madobe was elected.

Reluctance by Hassam's government to recognise Madobe, who has declared allegiance to Hassam's government, is creating tension and Amisom seems to be right in the middle of it.

"Hirale had been living in Mogadishu until a month ago when he was brought to Kismayu by the Mogadishu government to cause chaos. He has some supporters here and his presence is a continuous threat to security here. Amisom in Mogadishu is not neutral and the Somalia Federal government in Mogadishu is the problem. Amisom in Kismayu are in a dilemma whether to allow the rival group here," Dr Abdugani Jama, chairman of the technical committee on the formation of Jubaland state said.

KDF has declined to comment on the issue while Amisom could not be reached for comment. An Inter-Governmental Authority on Development delegation was last week in Kismayu on a fact finding mission and was to present its report at its headquarters in Djibouti yesterday.