Beledweyne (AX) — Hawadle traditional leader Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan and Somali lawmakers from both chambers of Parliament arrived in Beledweyne on Monday as the clan began consultations on its position toward the political situation in Hirshabelle state.
Officials and residents turned out to receive the delegation, which traveled from Mogadishu, at Beledweyne airport. Among those present were Hiiraan Governor Mohamed Hussein Arab and Hirshabelle officials from the Hawadle clan.
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Ugaas Yusuf said the visit was intended to bring the Hawadle together to assess the political circumstances and build unity around decisions affecting the clan.
“We want the Hawadle clan to deliberate. We will deliberate collectively and jointly, and we will take collective action. The steps we take will differ from those taken in the past,” the Ugaas said.
He called on clan members to be ready to act on the outcome of the consultations, urging people with influence, financial means or other resources to play a role.
“Today, we want to implement the decision we reach, and it is you, the public, who can carry it out. Be prepared,” Ugaas Yusuf said.
Hirshabelle Vice President Yusuf Ahmed Hagar Dabageed acknowledged that Hiiraan residents had grievances against the federal government, but said the community was not seeking to reject the government.
Rather, he said, the region was demanding what it considers its rights from both the federal government and the Hirshabelle administration.
“The Hirshabelle flag is our flag; we do not want chaos. We have grievances directed at the government and the Hirshabelle administration, of which we are a part,” Dabageed said.
Dabageed said the delegation favored dialogue, adding that the Ugaas and other traditional leaders would hear from the community about matters requiring discussion.
Ali Shacban, the Somali Senate’s first deputy speaker, said the delegation’s purpose was to support wide-ranging consultations within the Hawadle clan on the political situation.
Authorities increased security throughout Beledweyne after the delegation arrived. Videos shared on social media appeared to show weapons and military vehicles positioned in parts of the city, though the circumstances behind the deployment were not immediately known.
The visit takes place as tensions rise over the approaching Hirshabelle leadership election. Hawadle politicians and community leaders have pursued the state’s top post, but their expectations have been complicated by the Justice and Unity Party’s decision to renominate incumbent President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Ali Guudlaawe.
The dispute has also fueled concern about the electoral process in Hiiraan, where politicians and other prominent figures have argued that voting should not take place before the parties reach a political agreement.
