Power Play in Somali Politics: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Bold Move

MOGADISHU, Somalia – In the intricate labyrinth of Somali politics, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has set a daring new course. With the next election looming on the horizon, he has unveiled a political party that could alter the country’s trajectory. This venture, while bold, raises questions about potential fractures within Somalia and whether this strategy is a step toward greater unity or deeper division.

The freshly minted Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) emerges as a coalition of allies. This political conglomerate brings together the influential figures from Southwest, Hirshabelle, and Galmudug. Yet, intriguingly, it omits voices from Jubaland and Northeastern State, regions entangled in their own political strife.

Tuesday evening saw the formal birth of the JSP, with Mohamud at its helm, positioning himself as the party’s stalwart and intending presidential contender for 2026. His eyes are set on a third term, following chapters of leadership spanning 2012-2017 and 2022-2026.

Key roles within the JSP structure include a leadership council comprising a leader, four deputy leaders, and a secretary general. The party makes a bold push for direct elections, a stance encountering resistance from factions within Northeastern State and Jubbaland. These regions clamor for more inclusive representation—a plea echoing like a whisper in a politically charged wind.

The four deputy leaders are familiar faces to the political theater: Abdiaziz Hassan Laftagareen from Southwest, Sadia Yasin Samatar, the current deputy speaker, Hamza Abdi Barre, the acting Prime Minister, and Salah Jama, the deputy PM. Each brings a unique brand of experience and influence.

New tensions brew as former presidents, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmajo, alongside Northeastern State’s leader, Said Abdullahi Deni, prepare to challenge the newly formed party. Their independent political platforms set the stage for a riveting contest of ideologies.

The JSP’s inception has stirred a hornet’s nest of critiques and forebodings. Does this signal a perilous tilt back toward a single-party dominance, tethered to a past of dictatorship? Critics assert that Mohamud’s vision is marred by a fervor for power, overshadowing reform promises once etched in idealism.

Moreover, there’s a growing clamor accusing the president of sidestepping pressing priorities. National security—fragile as a spider’s web—remains a lingering issue, particularly with Al-Shabaab’s ominous presence. The haunting memories of an attack on the Somali National Army camp at Adan Yabaal linger as stark testimony to vulnerabilities needing urgent attention.

Behind every strategic move lies a tale, a snippet of history etched into the landscape. For Somalia, these are chapters that evoke sentiment and an unsettling sense of déjà vu. The question lingers: in a bid to centralize control, has something essential been lost along the way?

Reflecting on Somalia’s journey, it’s worthwhile to echo the words of a Somali elder: “Leadership is not about power, but about paving a future for those who will walk the path after us.” Are today’s political architects listening?

In unraveling the complexities of governance and ambition, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s new party may shape Somalia’s dawn. Yet, as in all political narratives, shadows of past errors cast long reflections, demanding cautious navigation.

The political landscape in Somalia is a tapestry—the threads comprising ambition, fear, hope, and history. The formation of the JSP is but one thread in an evolving kaleidoscope of power and aspiration. As the future unfolds, Somalia watches, with bated breath.

And so, the story unfurls—a nation poised at a crossroads, where the choices of the few will instrument the course for the many. In a world of shifting sands, may the motives mingle with the wisdom of the ages, fostering an era of better tomorrows.

Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring