Somali PM rejects indirect elections after federal forces seize Baidoa

Tuesday March 31, 2026

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s prime minister has rejected calls for indirect voting in South West State after federal forces secured Baidoa, arguing that the transition should move toward national reform rather than return to the older indirect election model.

The dispute over Baidoa is also being read as a test of Somalia’s federal arrangement, with critics warning that unilateral intervention could reshape the balance between Mogadishu and the regions.

“Baidoa is under the control of the Federal Government. There are no indirect elections, and anything that could lead to clan revenge will not be accepted,” the prime minister said.

The remarks followed an announcement on Facebook by Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen that he was stepping down, days after securing another five-year term in a vote the federal government had already rejected. Reports said Laftagareen had reached an understanding with Mogadishu to hand over power and depart the city.

Hamza singled out Laftagareen in his speech, saying he regretted the way his political chapter had come to an end.

“My friend Abdiaziz Laftagareen did not want his history to end with what happened today, but unfortunately, that is how it ended,” he said.

The prime minister also took aim at opposition politicians who had praised Laftagareen after his re-election, brushing off their endorsements as politically meaningless.

“Politicians who congratulated a man who elected himself for two hours had what they had. If that was all, we have learned a good lesson,” he said.

Even so, Hamza said Laftagareen had played a role in major national efforts, including Somalia’s debt relief process, constitutional review talks and discussions on moving toward a one-person, one-vote electoral model.

The showdown in Southwest state is the latest flashpoint in the Horn of Africa nation’s fragile federal arrangement, where recurring disputes over elections and the distribution of power between Mogadishu and regional administrations continue to expose deep political fault lines.

With federal troops now controlling Baidoa and a new acting regional president in place, the focus has shifted to how Mogadishu will handle the transition and whether wider political reconciliation can avert further unrest.