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Former president and prime ministers condemn the launch of Justice and Solidarity Party, alleging misuse of power and threats to Somalia’s federal system
A group of sixteen well-known Somali political figures, including a former president and several ex-prime ministers, have accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of turning away from his duty to unite the country. Instead, they say he is joining sides with political allies and causing more division in Somalia.
In a joint statement released late Tuesday, the leaders said they are deeply worried about the collapse of the National Consultative Council (NCC), which was supposed to bring together national and regional leaders to solve key issues. They blame this collapse on President Mohamud’s decision to form a new political group called the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), which he now leads.
“The country is facing a serious political crisis,” the statement said. “Rather than bringing everyone together to work on important issues like the constitution, elections, and national security, the president is dividing people even more.”
Some of the people who signed the statement include former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former prime ministers Hassan Ali Khayre, Mohamed Hussein Rooble, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, and Abdi Farah Shirdon (Saacid). These leaders say President Mohamud is no longer acting like a neutral and inclusive national leader. Instead, they believe he is making decisions that are worsening the political situation and national security.
One of their biggest concerns is the creation of the Justice and Solidarity Party. They claim the president is using government money and resources to build a political party that benefits him and his allies. This, they say, goes against Somalia’s federal system, which is meant to give more power to regional governments rather than centralizing everything in the capital.
They also accused the president of interfering in the affairs of Jubbaland, a federal state in southern Somalia. According to the statement, this interference threatens Jubbaland’s independence and could make national tensions worse.
“We are warning President Hassan Sheikh to stop meddling in Jubbaland’s matters and avoid actions that could split the country further,” the group said.
In addition to criticizing the president, the leaders also sent a message to the heads of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, and Southwest states. They urged them to respect democracy, acknowledge that their terms have expired, and stop helping the federal government weaken Somalia’s federal system.
The Justice and Solidarity Party officially launched on Monday in Mogadishu, with President Mohamud elected as the party’s leader and presidential candidate. Several key political figures were also given important roles within the party, including Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Southwest State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, and Deputy Speaker Sadia Yasin.
The federal government says that the new party is a step forward toward achieving one-person, one-vote elections in Somalia. But not everyone agrees. Leaders from Puntland and members of the national opposition believe this new party is really a way for President Mohamud to hold on to more power and silence those who don’t agree with him.
They argue that forming JSP while still holding the office of the presidency crosses a line and sends the wrong message about political fairness. They say it’s wrong for a sitting president to lead a political party that includes top government officials, especially when the country is already facing many political and security challenges.
In the end, the group of former leaders is calling for President Mohamud to take a step back and focus on uniting the country instead of dividing it. They want all leaders, both national and regional, to work together to protect Somalia’s fragile democracy and federal system.