A plane carrying members of the Federal Parliament of Somalia from the Puntland region was on Monday turned back shortly after departure, amid heightened political tensions between the Federal Government and several federal member states.
The lawmakers had departed from Mogadishu and were en route to Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland’s Nugaal region, following a summons by Puntland President Saciid Cabdullahi Deni. However, minutes after takeoff, the aircraft was instructed to return to Mogadishu and landed back at Aden Adde International Airport.
The official reason for the plane’s return has not yet been disclosed, and no formal statement has been issued by the Federal Government or airport authorities. The affected lawmakers are widely seen as part of the opposition bloc critical of the political direction taken by Villa Somalia.
The incident comes just a day after President Deni left Mogadishu, following the collapse of talks between Puntland leadership and the Federal Government. Shortly after his departure, President Deni called on Puntland’s representatives in the Federal Parliament of Somalia to return home for broad political consultations.
In a related development, the President of Jubaland State, Ahmed Mohamed Islam, also known as Ahmed Madobe, on Monday invited lawmakers from both houses of the Federal Parliament representing Jubaland to attend a consultative meeting scheduled for later this month in Kismayo, the coastal capital of Lower Juba region.
A statement issued by President Ahmed Madobe’s office said the planned meeting will focus on consultations regarding the country’s ongoing political crisis, particularly after the failure of negotiations held in Mogadishu. Jubaland officials say the discussions aim to agree on a common political position among lawmakers amid the growing standoff with the Federal Government.
So far, no detailed explanation has been provided regarding the decision to prevent the Puntland lawmakers from continuing their journey. The Federal Government has previously taken similar measures, including grounding or turning back planes carrying political figures with opposing views.
Most recently, advance delegations linked to President Saciid Abdullahi Deni and President Ahmed Madobe were briefly denied entry into Mogadishu before the issue was resolved, allowing the leaders and their security details to proceed.
The latest incident underscores deepening political divisions in Somalia, as relations between the Federal Government and key federal member states remain strained over governance, power-sharing, and the direction of the country’s political process.