Mogadishu (AX) – Lawmakers affiliated with the SSC-Khatumo administration have flatly declined an invitation to a meeting in Garowe. This gathering, initiated by Northeastern State’s key figure, Said Deni, was aimed at convening federal MPs representing the Northeastern State constituency.
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According to recent reports, representatives from Sool, Sanaag, and Ayn, regions known collectively as the SSC-Khatumo administration, have reiterated their allegiance to the decision made in February 2023 by SSC elders. This decision established SSC-Khatumo as a separate entity under the umbrella of the Federal Government of Somalia.
In a bold move, MP Abdirahman Ibrahim Warsame, commonly known as Qowdhan—once a confidant of President Deni and his former deputy finance minister—announced he wouldn’t be present at the Garowe gathering, reinforcing his commitment to SSC-Khatumo’s autonomy.
Tensions are on the rise as political frictions between Northeastern State and the Federal Government intensify. The Northeastern State administration attempted to gather its federal representatives for a consultative session in Garowe, seeking to alleviate the widening political chasm.
Northeastern State, which contributes 37 representatives to Somalia’s federal legislature, sees itself in a quandary, given that SSC-Khatumo has pronounced its separation from Northeastern State.
In an eyebrow-raising decision from April 2024, Northeastern State—a region possessing substantial oil resources and enjoying a degree of autonomy—vowed to operate independently from Somalia until there’s a comprehensive revision and ratification of the federal constitution via a nationwide referendum.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
