The National Electoral Commission has begun dispatching election materials to South West State, days before the region’s landmark one-person-one-vote polls scheduled for 15 May...
Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni, former Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, and MP Abdikadir Osoble have not issued congratulatory messages to Abdi Aziz Lafta Gareen following his re-election as South West State President. The absence of recognition signals political dissatisfaction over the transparency and inclusiveness of the electoral process, deepening divisions within Somalia’s political landscape.
In an unprecedented parliamentary broadside, MP Dr. Abdillahi Hashi Abib has formally accused Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama of treason, alleging the Cabinet member is a foreign agent who looted US aid, facilitates Al-Shabaab operations, and is orchestrating atrocities in South-West State.
South West State has issued a stern warning to all airlines operating in its territory, threatening to revoke operating permits for any carrier found illegally transporting weapons or military forces. Officials accused the federal government of using both military and civilian aircraft to arm "unknown hands" and destabilize the region.
South West State has issued a general amnesty to Somali Armed Forces personnel, accusing the federal government of turning national troops into militias used to displace civilians. The state has also opened its upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections to all citizens, guaranteeing security and banning illegal weapons.
South West State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed (Lafta-Gareen) has appointed a nine-member electoral committee to organize regional elections, a direct challenge to the federal government which declared him illegitimate just one day earlier. The move mirrors the unilateral election strategy employed by Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe in 2013, setting the stage for a potentially explosive confrontation as rival forces remain deployed across the strategic region.
The Federal Government of Somalia has declared the mandate of South West State’s president and administration expired, rejecting any further decisions from the current leadership. The move escalates the political standoff with Mogadishu now planning new elections through local consultations.