Somalia’s Southwest state president blames Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for regional election delays

Thursday March 19, 2026 – Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Wednesday accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of stalling regional elections since 2022, sharpening an increasingly public split between Baidoa and Mogadishu.

At a press conference in Baidoa, Laftagareen said leaders of federal member states had made repeated attempts to organize their own ballots but were blocked by the federal leadership.

“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.

He said he traveled several times to Mogadishu and Dhusamareb seeking clarity on election plans but met resistance. According to Laftagareen, federal officials demanded that regional votes be deferred in favor of a combined national process.

The federal government has not publicly responded to the allegations.

His comments came a day after he formally declared that Southwest State had cut ties with the Federal Government of Somalia.

“Starting today, there will be no contact between us and the federal government until something is agreed upon by Somalis,” he said.

The Southwest leader accused Mogadishu of meddling in his administration and undermining federalism, warning that such conduct endangers national unity.

The confrontation unfolds amid broader disputes over constitutional amendments and the electoral roadmap. Friction between the federal government and several member states has intensified in recent weeks, adding pressure to Somalia’s fragile federal arrangement as key electoral deadlines near.