Somalia: Jubaland releases federal senator after 16 months, seeks to calm tensions
- Jubaland frees Senator Ilyas Bedel Gaboose after prolonged house arrest in Kismayo
- President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe frames move as reconciliation, meets with Gaboose and Sheikh Dahir Ahmed Abdullahi
- Detention stemmed from challenge to Madobe’s re-election; release comes amid constitutional strains and ahead of 2026 polls
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KISMAYO, Somalia — The Jubaland administration on Sunday released federal senator and prominent opposition figure Ilyas Bedel Gaboose after nearly 16 months in detention, a step regional officials cast as a bid to defuse tensions and advance political reconciliation in southern Somalia.
Gaboose, who had been under house arrest in the port city of Kismayo since 2024, was freed following sustained domestic and federal pressure, according to Jubaland authorities. Shortly after his release, Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe held a consultative meeting with Gaboose and Sheikh Dahir Ahmed Abdullahi focused on unity and the broader interests of the semi-autonomous region.
Madobe, in a statement posted to social media, said peace and stability must supersede political rivalries. “The common interest, peace, and unity of the people of Jubaland are above any political differences,” he said, adding that his administration is prepared to make “broad compromises” to secure lasting stability and remains committed to resolving disputes through dialogue.
The senator’s detention traced back to his leadership of a political faction that challenged the legitimacy of Madobe’s re-election process in Kismayo. That confrontation deepened a rift between the regional administration and Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu, which was widely believed to have supported Gaboose’s challenge to Madobe’s leadership.
During his 16 months under restriction, Gaboose became a symbol of Jubaland’s internal fractures. Opposition figures and federal allies repeatedly accused the regional leadership of using detentions to suppress dissent and stifle competitive politics. Jubaland officials denied that characterization, insisting their priority was stability in a region long marked by volatile disputes and militant threats.
The timing of the release underscores the shifting political calculus across Somalia. The country is navigating a deepening constitutional standoff while preparing for the 2026 elections, an environment that has put a premium on compromise between federal and regional power centers. Analysts suggest Madobe’s move is aimed at consolidating his local position and resetting relations with rival factions ahead of anticipated talks with national authorities.
It remains unclear whether Gaboose’s past alignment with Mogadishu will endure or whether his release marks the start of a new political accommodation within Jubaland. The meeting with Madobe signaled at least an opening for dialogue, though neither side disclosed details of any agreement or next steps.
For now, Jubaland’s leadership is framing the move as an inflection point: a de-escalation that could lower the temperature in Kismayo and ease friction with federal stakeholders. Whether that translates into durable consensus or merely pauses a broader struggle over regional authority and national reform may hinge on what concessions, if any, follow—and on how both camps manage their supporters in the weeks ahead.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
