Somalia: Opposition Backs Southwest State Amid Growing Rift with Federal Government

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A coalition of Somali regional states and political leaders has thrown its weight behind Southwest State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, further isolating the federal government in a deepening constitutional crisis.

The Somali Future Council, an alliance including the regional governments of Jubbaland and Puntland alongside the Salvation Forum, issued a formal statement welcoming Laftagareen’s recent decision to challenge the central government’s authority. The council declared its full support for Southwest State’s move to hold independent, "free and fair" regional elections, signaling a unified front against Mogadishu’s proposed electoral roadmap.

The endorsement follows a dramatic escalation in tensions between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s federal administration and the Southwest State. The rift centers on contentious issues, including federal constitutional amendments passed without regional consensus and a push by the central government for a "one-person, one-vote" system that regional states argue is currently unfeasible and a tool for power consolidation.

The Somali Future Council expressed grave concern over the worsening political climate, stressing that all governance issues must be settled according to the provisional constitution to preserve national stability and public trust. In a direct appeal to other regional administrations, the council urged Galmudug and Hirshabelle to avoid any actions that could exacerbate the standoff, emphasizing that national unity is at risk if the federal system continues to fragment.

The statement concluded with a sharp warning to President Mohamud, accusing his administration of using the Somali National Army for narrow political interests. The council warned that such tactics threaten to undo years of progress in rebuilding Somalia’s security institutions and could lead to renewed internal conflict.

GAROWE ONLINE