KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubbaland’s interior minister warned Wednesday that Somalia is slipping into a national crisis under what he called poor federal leadership, escalating tensions ahead of a political conference in the port city of Kismayo that organizers say is designed to redirect the country’s trajectory.
Interior Minister Mohamed Hussein Oogle said expectations placed in President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration have not materialized and that the course charted by federal authorities no longer reflects realities on the ground. He framed the moment as a sensitive phase for Somalia’s politics, with growing anxiety over constitutional integrity and institutional mandates.
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Oogle cited mounting concerns about violations of the provisional constitution and a pattern of arbitrary decision-making that he said disregards agreed legal frameworks. He warned that without corrective steps, the trend poses a serious threat to Somalia’s political future, especially as the terms of some state institutions near their end.
His remarks came as delegations arrived in Kismayo for a multi-day political conference convened by Jubbaland authorities. The meeting, according to Oogle, aims to generate recommendations and decisions that will confront what regional leaders view as federal overreach and a drift from consensus-based governance.
Organizers have invited former national leaders and opposition figures, including former President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, widely known as Farmaajo. Oogle described Farmaajo as a key opposition figure whose views remain central to current debates and confirmed that the organizing committee would keep welcoming participants from the federal government, other regional administrations and district authorities as they arrive.
The minister said the conference is intended to be inclusive and outcome-oriented, focused on cooling political temperatures and re-centering decision-making within Somalia’s constitutional framework. He argued that the country needs leadership that unites, follows a clear course and adheres to the rules agreed by all stakeholders.
Oogle did not specify whether federal officials would attend or how any outcomes would be implemented, but he emphasized that the meeting’s recommendations are aimed at shaping national direction rather than entrenching regional divides. He said Jubbaland would work with attendees to formulate a path forward grounded in the provisional constitution and the spirit of federalism.
Jubbaland’s critique underscores long-running friction in Somalia’s federal system, where cooperation between Mogadishu and member states remains a persistent challenge. While the federal government has pursued its own reform agenda, regional authorities have regularly pressed for consultation and clarity on national priorities, citing the need for consensus to safeguard fragile institutions.
In outlining the stakes, Oogle highlighted three areas where he said the current trajectory has alarmed political actors across the spectrum:
- Potential violations of the provisional constitution
- Arbitrary decision-making within federal institutions
- Disregard for agreed legal and procedural frameworks
He warned that institutional uncertainty could intensify political competition and deepen mistrust unless addressed through inclusive dialogue and clear, lawful processes. The Kismayo conference, he said, is meant to channel that dialogue into practical steps that reduce tensions rather than inflame them.
As delegations continue to arrive, Oogle expressed hope that the gathering will help generate a common roadmap and ensure that transitions, including the approaching conclusion of certain institutional terms, take place within constitutional bounds. He said the ultimate goal is to restore confidence in Somalia’s governance by committing to the rules and compromises that underpin the federal system.
No immediate response from federal authorities was available at the time of the announcement in Kismayo. It was not clear when the conference’s final communique would be issued, but organizers indicated they would seek to publish recommendations aimed at aligning political practice with the provisional constitution and defusing the current standoff.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
