MOGADISHU, May 13 – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was on Tuesday night elected chairman of the newly launched Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), during a high-profile event in Mogadishu that drew top government officials and political figures.
The launch, which marks the president’s most significant political move ahead of the country’s expected shift toward one-person, one-vote elections, was attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, leaders of several federal member states, ministers, and prominent allies.
Missing from the event were the presidents of Puntland and Jubaland, who have expressed growing opposition to Mogadishu’s centralization of power.
During the party’s inaugural congress, delegates also elected four deputy leaders and a secretary-general, completing the formation of the party’s leadership.
Supporters say the JSP aims to promote justice, federal unity, and political reform, positioning itself as a major force in Somalia’s evolving multiparty landscape.
Critics, however, view the move as an attempt by Mohamud and his allies to consolidate power and marginalize dissenting voices.
Some opposition figures have likened the party’s formation to a return to one-party rule, warning it could undermine fragile federal institutions and derail progress toward inclusive elections.
The JSP emerges amid heightened political tensions and ongoing security threats from Al-Shabaab, with less than a year remaining in President Mohamud’s term.
