Federal Government Appoints New Administrations for Bakool, Hudur in Direct Challenge to Southwest State
In a sharp escalation of federal-regional tensions, Somalia’s Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali-Hoosh has issued a decree appointing a new governor for Bakool and a new mayor for Xudur, bypassing Southwest State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen and citing security concerns and the push for one-person, one-vote elections.
The Federal Government of Somalia has unilaterally appointed new regional and district administrations for Bakool Region and Hudur District, setting up a direct confrontation with Southwest State leadership amid an ongoing dispute over political authority and the 2026 electoral process.
A decree signed on March 25, 2026, by Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation Ali Yusuf Ali-Hoosh named Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed as the governor of Bakool, alongside three deputy governors. In Hudur, the district headquarters of Bakool, Mohamed Maallin Ahmed was appointed district commissioner and mayor, with two deputies and a secretary. The directive also retains the existing 11 members of the Hudur district council until future “one person, one vote” elections are held.
Citing Article 43 of the Regional and District Administration Law (Law No. 116/2013), the ministry justified the intervention by pointing to “the security and political situation in the Southwest region.” The move effectively bypasses Southwest State Abdiaziz Laftagareen, whose administration in Baidoa traditionally holds the authority to appoint regional and district officials within the state’s borders.
The decree follows weeks of tit-for-tat administrative moves between Mogadishu and Baidoa, with tensions centred on the 2026 electoral framework and the expiration of regional mandates. Bakool, which shares a border with Ethiopia, is considered strategically sensitive, and analysts warn that the creation of parallel administrations could complicate security coordination in areas where Al-Shabaab remains active.
Southwest State officials had not issued an official response by the time of publication. However, political observers expect Laftagareen’s administration to reject the appointments, potentially leading to rival governing structures in the region and deepening the political rift ahead of national elections.
