Mogadishu – A Somali federal lawmaker has accused the central government of deliberately stirring unrest in relatively peaceful regions of the country, rather than focusing on liberating areas still under the control of armed insurgents.
Mohamed Omar Ali, widely known as “Caana-nuug,” said during a press conference that the federal leadership in Mogadishu has prioritized internal political disputes and sowing discord among federal member states, instead of addressing national security threats.
“Instead of concentrating efforts on reclaiming territories from enemy forces and ensuring security, the government is inciting conflict between neighboring, brotherly federal states,” MP Caana-nuug stated.
He further accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of pursuing a political agenda aimed at dismantling Somalia’s federal system — a framework established to unify the nation after decades of civil war.
“These actions suggest the president is deliberately working to undermine and eventually destroy federalism in Somalia,” the lawmaker added.
His comments come amid escalating tensions between Puntland and the self-declared SSC-Khatumo administration in northern Somalia, where recent clashes have left dozens dead or injured. Several Somali political figures have blamed the central government for fueling the violence in the region.
The accusations reflect growing political rifts between the central government and federal member states, raising concerns about the fragile country’s stability as it continues to battle both insurgency and internal division.
