Tuesday March 4, 2025
Lawmakers and political leaders from South West State gather in Mogadishu to discuss governance concerns and electoral challenges in the region. The meeting, organized by the Maan-Shiil Forum, focused on political reforms and calls for broader opposition engagement.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Lawmakers and political leaders from South West State convened in Mogadishu on Monday night, calling for immediate intervention in what they describe as widespread governance failures, repression, and electoral fraud under President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen). The meeting, organized by the Maan-Shiil Forum, sought to mobilize opposition efforts and push for political reform.
In a press statement released after the meeting, participants accused Laftagareen’s administration of authoritarianism, arbitrary arrests, and political suppression, alleging that dissenting voices are systematically silenced.
“Innocent Somali citizens are being detained without due process for merely expressing differing political views,” the statement read. “This is an alarming violation of democratic principles and the rule of law.”
Opposition figures also criticized the Federal Government of Somalia for failing to intervene in South West State’s governance crisis, arguing that Mogadishu’s silence has enabled continued repression in the region.
The meeting brought together several key figures, including former South West State President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, former House of the People Speaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, and other former officials.
Attendees pointed to Baidoa, the regional capital, as the epicentre of security crackdowns. Opposition groups claim that federal security forces have been deployed to suppress protests and detain critics of Laftagareen’s rule.
“What is happening in Baidoa is a blatant abuse of power,” said a former government official in attendance. “Security forces are being used to silence opposition rather than protect the people.”
For years, opposition groups have accused Laftagareen’s administration of rigging elections and sidelining political rivals, further eroding trust in the region’s leadership.
The most contentious issue discussed at the Mogadishu meeting was the election of a new speaker in the South West State Assembly, even though lawmakers’ terms had already expired.
Critics argue that the election was orchestrated to maintain Laftagareen’s control over regional governance. Some members of the outgoing assembly were replaced with new appointees, raising concerns about the credibility of the process.
“An expired assembly should not be making high-level political decisions,” said a political analyst familiar with South West State. “This election lacks legitimacy.”
The attendees fear that the move will deepen divisions and exacerbate regional political instability.
In response to the escalating crisis, meeting participants agreed to organize a more comprehensive political conference to bring regional elders, lawmakers, and opposition figures together to discuss solutions.
A technical committee has been appointed to oversee preparations for the conference, which aims to establish a roadmap for restoring democratic governance in South West State.
“This upcoming conference is a critical opportunity to address South West State’s worsening political landscape,” the statement added.
Laftagareen’s administration has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
