Thursday May 15, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – A group of sixteen prominent Somali politicians, including former president and prime ministers, have accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of abandoning his constitutional role as a unifying national leader and instead aligning himself with partisan political factions.
In a joint statement released late Tuesday, the leaders expressed deep concern over what they described as the collapse of the National Consultative Council (NCC) and the growing political fragmentation in Somalia, following the official launch of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), which President Mohamud chairs.
“The country is facing an unprecedented political crisis. Instead of convening a national forum to unify stakeholders and address constitutional, electoral, and security challenges, President Hassan Sheikh has chosen to deepen political divides,” the statement read.
The signatories — including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and ex-prime ministers Hassan Ali Khayre, Mohamed Hussein Rooble, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Abdi Farah Shirdon (Saacid), and other senior figures — criticized the president for failing to uphold neutrality and inclusive leadership, which they say has worsened governance and security setbacks.
The statement directly challenges the legitimacy of the newly formed party, accusing President Mohamud and his allies of using state resources to build a centralized political alliance that undermines Somalia’s federalism. The signatories also alleged interference in regional administrations, particularly in Jubbaland, which they said threatens its autonomy.
“We warn President Hassan Sheikh to stop his interference in Jubbaland’s internal affairs and to halt divisive actions that risk deepening national discord,” the leaders said.
In addition to rejecting JSP’s formation, the group called on the regional leaders of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and Southwest to uphold democratic principles, respect their expired mandates, and refrain from enabling what they termed as the federal government’s campaign to erode the federal system.
The Justice and Solidarity Party, which held its founding congress in Mogadishu on Monday, elected President Hassan Sheikh as its chairman and presidential candidate, with key federal and regional leaders — including Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Southwest President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, and Deputy Speaker Sadia Yasin — appointed to senior party positions.
Despite the federal government’s claim that JSP represents a new chapter toward one-person, one-vote democracy, both Puntland’s leadership and the country’s opposition heavyweights view the move as a power consolidation strategy that excludes dissenting voices and threatens Somalia’s fragile political balance.