Southwest leader appoints election committee, defying Somalia federal government
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Southwest State President Abdiasis Husein Mohamed Laftagaren on Monday appointed an election committee to organize an indirect vote to select regional members of parliament and, ultimately, a president – an assertive step that could undermine President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s push for a one-person, one-vote election. In a decree, Laftagaren named a regional […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Southwest State President Abdiasis Husein Mohamed Laftagaren on Monday appointed an election committee to organize an indirect vote to select regional members of parliament and, ultimately, a president – an assertive step that could undermine President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s push for a one-person, one-vote election.
In a decree, Laftagaren named a regional electoral and borders committee tasked with conducting the process despite escalating tensions with the federal government, tensions that in some areas have already turned violent and deadly.
The move follows failed efforts by Mogadishu to dissuade Laftagaren from pursuing the plan. Reports suggest Mohamud canceled a planned trip to Ethiopia after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declined to receive him for talks on the dispute.
Ethiopia is widely seen as backing Laftagaren, viewing his leadership in Southwest State as aligned with its strategic interests. Federal authorities, by contrast, are regarded in Addis Ababa as unreliable and too closely aligned with Egypt – Ethiopia’s regional rival – amid concerns over planned Egyptian troop deployments in Somalia.
On Sunday, Laftagaren displayed heavily armed forces in Baidoa, while federal troops continued mobilizing in Burhakabo, about 64 kilometers west of the interim regional capital, underscoring the risk of further escalation.
The standoff comes as Somalia’s federal leadership continues to promote plans for universal suffrage elections, even with roughly 50 days remaining in its term. Opposition figures have long argued such a vote is unrealistic. The plan has already been rejected by key stakeholders, including Jubaland and Puntland. If Southwest proceeds with an indirect vote, it would not only undercut the federal government’s plans but also complicate its ability to remain in office without a broadly accepted electoral process.
Adding to the uncertainty, Speaker of Parliament Adan Mohamed Nur recently said lawmakers had approved a one-year extension for both parliament and the presidency under a controversial new constitution.
The crisis has also exposed fractures within the ruling party. Some members, including Laftagaren, have already resigned, while others have begun to openly challenge the president’s handling of tensions in Southwest State, deepening an already volatile political landscape.
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