MOGADISHU, Somalia, May 17 – Tensions are mounting between Somalia’s federal government and the Jubbaland administration amid reports that Mogadishu is planning to establish a parallel regional administration in the Gedo region, further straining its relationship with Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, known as Ahmed Madobe.
Traditional elders from Gedo have publicly opposed the reported plans, saying they reject any move by the federal government to install a new local authority in the region. Several elders who spoke out against the initiative were reportedly arrested, exacerbating the political rift and fueling local discontent.
Mohamed Ahmed Samatar, a prominent elder from Gedo, called on the federal government and the Minister of Security—himself a native of Gedo—to refrain from using force to impose authority over the region.
He warned that continued pressure on the local population and the Jubbaland administration could have serious political and security consequences.
The longstanding dispute between the federal government and Jubbaland centers around electoral control and governance in Gedo, a region that has repeatedly been a flashpoint in federal-state relations.
The federal government insists on implementing a one-person, one-vote electoral model, while several regional leaders, including Madobe, favor maintaining a system they can directly oversee.
The postponement of regional leadership elections—after their terms officially expired—has further fueled tensions, with critics accusing Villa Somalia of attempting to consolidate power at the expense of federalism.
The political experts warn that unless the parties reach a political compromise, the standoff could undermine Somalia’s fragile state-building process and destabilize a region already plagued by insecurity.
