Federal government rejects Southwest’s plan to dissolve Hudur district administration

Monday March 23, 2026

Baidoa (AX) — A fresh rupture in Somalia’s fragile federal balance erupted in Bakool on Monday after Southwest State’s interior minister abruptly dissolved the Hudur district administration, sharpening an already tense standoff between Baidoa and Mogadishu over who holds legitimate authority at the local level and how elections should be managed.

Southwest State’s Minister of Interior, Local Government and Reconciliation, Mohamed Isaq Osman Fanah, announced the dissolution in a letter dated March 21, 2026. He said an internal review found the Hudur administration had fallen short on governance, citing problems in administration, security management and the delivery of social services. The minister pointed to state-building regulations and his ministry’s mandate as the basis for intervening in district leadership.

“As of today, the work of the Hudur District administration has been completely suspended,” the letter said, adding that a temporary administration will be appointed until a permanent leadership is formed.

The decision followed swiftly on the heels of a dramatic declaration from Hudur officials, who said they were withdrawing from the Southwest administration and instead aligning themselves with the Federal Government of Somalia.

As tensions escalated, the federal Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation said Sunday it was imposing a temporary halt on the appointment and dismissal of district and regional officials in Southwest State. The ministry said the prevailing political and security environment required restraint and instructed recently dismissed officials to remain in place until new councils are elected.

Mogadishu has maintained that the mandates of Southwest’s leadership have ended and that any administrative changes must be made through constitutional procedures. Federal officials framed the suspension of local-level reshuffles as a measure to safeguard institutional continuity and to prevent administrative fragmentation.

“The Ministry of Interior will work with traditional elders and the leadership of the South West to find a lasting solution and ensure that all future decisions are in accordance with the law and the system of governance,” the statement said.

The clash over Hudur is playing out against a wider political confrontation between Southwest President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a dispute centered on regional elections and proposed constitutional changes.

Laftagareen has accused the federal government of obstructing regional elections since 2022. Speaking recently at a press conference in Baidoa, he said leaders of federal member states had sought approval to organize elections but were prevented from moving forward.

“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.

Meanwhile, the federal parliament has recently approved constitutional revisions that extend the mandate of federal institutions from four to five years, a change that critics say has further strained trust between Mogadishu and several federal member states.