130+ federal lawmakers back Southwest state’s decision to hold elections

Tuesday March 24, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — A coalition of 136 lawmakers from both chambers of Somalia’s Federal Parliament has thrown its weight behind Southwest State’s move to press ahead with elections and establish an electoral commission, setting up a fresh flashpoint in the widening dispute between regional leaders and Mogadishu.

In a joint statement issued Monday, the MPs said Southwest’s election process should move forward transparently and inclusively, and must be conducted in line with the state constitution as well as Somalia’s provisional federal constitution.

They also called on Hirshabelle and Galmudug to arrange their own elections in accordance with their respective legal frameworks.

The lawmakers, however, delivered a sharp rebuke of the federal government, denouncing what they described as a “blatant invasion” against Southwest State. They accused authorities in Mogadishu of sending troops into the region and restricting residents’ travel—steps they argued weaken Somalia’s federal system and threaten the standing of national security institutions.

The statement cautioned that sustained political and military pressure could deepen internal rifts and leave space for armed groups to exploit divisions across the country.

Alongside their criticism, the MPs appealed to the public to uphold unity and stability, and urged the international community to help protect Somalia’s sovereignty and its constitutional order.

Support for the Southwest decision also came from the Himilo Qaran Party, headed by former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The party welcomed Southwest President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen’s appointment of an electoral commission, while warning federal leaders against what it called ongoing constitutional violations and military interference in Southwest.

Himilo Qaran said repeated delays to regional elections are the result of obstruction from the federal level, arguing that adherence to constitutional timelines remains critical to safeguarding the country’s governing framework.

President Laftagareen has separately accused President Hassan Sheikh of preventing regional elections since 2022. Speaking recently in Baidoa, he said federal member state leaders had pushed to hold elections but were blocked.

“In September 2022, all the regional state leaders were present at the National Consultative Council meeting. I requested that we hold elections. The president told us that we will not hold elections, but they will be merged,” Laftagareen said.

The federal government has not publicly addressed claims that it delayed regional elections, even as the mandates of the Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Southwest administrations have exceeded their original terms.