Jubaland Accuses Villa Somalia of Launching an Online Assault on its Leader
MOGADISHU, Somalia – The spokesperson for Jubaland’s leadership, Mohamed Hassan Hiis, has made serious assertions against Villa Somalia, the official residence of the President of Somalia. He claims they are bankrolling an online smear campaign to tarnish President Ahmed Madobe’s image. It’s a bold accusation that brings drama into the political theatrics of the region.
Hiis pointed his finger directly at Abdulkadir Ali Dige, who holds the reins as Villa Somalia’s Director of Communications. He painted him as the maestro behind what he labels as a “smear barrage” against Ahmed Madobe, who is in a showdown with President Hassan Sheikh over the election framework. It’s like a political chess game, each move sparking controversy.
“President, do you genuinely believe in the mission you’re dispatching to mend the current fallout, while your communications honcho dishes out insults and propaganda against those you’ve invited to the NCC Forum?” Hiis asked skeptically, putting the authenticity of the government’s reconciliation attempts under the microscope.
These allegations spring forth amid the fifth day of the National Consultative Council (NCC) shindig in Mogadishu. This gathering features figures from the federal government mingling with reps from four of Somalia’s federal territories—Galmudug, HirShabelle, Southwest, and Jubaland. They’re hashing out critical topics like tweaking the national charter, beefing up security, and sorting electoral matters.
Northeastern State, however, pulled out of the NCC huddle, severing connections with the central government over proposed tweaks to the constitution. The changes, viewed as a ploy by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to stretch his stay in power by cloaking it in a one-person-one-vote election scheme, stir up the pot even more. It’s ironic, given he was against this idea when Farmajo floated it before the 2022 indirect election.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, along with his right-hand man, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, push hard for direct elections. They’re vouching for extending stays for regional and federal bigwigs, a plan that clashes head-on with President Madobe’s preference for elections happening pronto.
This tapestry of internal squabbles, accentuated by Hiis’s claims, highlights the intense political friction within Somalia. It mirrors larger issues in governance, statehood, and the road to democratic elections. With social media now a combat zone for political sparring, Somalia’s political narrative becomes even more tangled, where digital bickering might widen old wounds or spark new conflagrations.
AXADLETM
