Somalia: Jubaland President in Puntland for talks with His Counterpart

GAROWE, Somalia - Jubaland leader Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe arrived in Garowe, Sunday to hold talks with his Puntland counterpart, Said Abdullahi Deni, in what could further shape Somalia’s fragile politics in the middle of uncertainty over constitutional changes.

Both Madobe and Deni have been critical of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s style of leadership, accusing him of unilaterally changing the constitution in his favour. The two leaders are opposed to universal suffrage elections.

At the airport, Madobe was received by President Deni and his entourage before heading to the presidential palace for talks. Even though they haven't released the communique, politics could dominate his trip, along with security and development.

The two leaders are patching up their relations. The relations between the two men had been frosty since 2022 after President Madobe sided with the eventual winner Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the presidential election, which led to Deni coming 3rd in the race.

Both men have since fallen out with Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. They could form a strong alliance to compete with Hassan Mohamud’s newly formed alliance, the Justice and Solidarity Party, which includes all regional leaders except the two leaders.

Madobe was at loggerheads with Hassan Sheikh early this year, leading to the deployment of elite Turkish troops who eventually lost the fight at El-Wak to Jubaland regional troops. The troops from Mogadishu were rescued by the Kenya Defence Forces stationed near the Kenya-Somalia border.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is fighting to hold direct polls, an idea opposed by the two leaders and the opposition, who see it as a strategy to extend his term in office since direct vote is not applicable currently in Somalia due to insecurity and the Al-Shabaab threat. They also insist that Somalia does not have the required infrastructure to handle the elections, which are scheduled for 2026.

They are expected to release a communique that shall detail the outcome of discussions. Deni could again run for the Somalia presidency next year as the opposition against Hassan Sheikh Mohamud mounts.

GAROWE ONLINE