
Saturday December 7, 2024

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has dismissed claims that his administration planning to destabilize Jubbaland following the deployment of federal troops to the Lower Jubba region.
Speaking in Mogadishu after Friday prayers, President Mohamud emphasized that the federal government's objective is to combat al-Shabab and not interfere in Jubbaland's internal administration.
"The federal government has no plans to dismantle Jubbaland. Our mission is to liberate Jubbaland from al-Shabab. Ahmed Madobe has led Jubbaland for nearly 14 years, yet no district has been freed under his administration," President Mohamud said.
He criticized Madobe for stockpiling weapons and international support meant for anti-al-Shabab operations instead of utilizing them to secure the region. President Mohamud also rejected claims that the government's efforts in Jubbaland were driven by tribal motives, insisting that the focus remains on national security.
The recent deployment of over 1,000 federal troops to Lower Jubba aims to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is set to conclude its mandate by January 2025. However, this move has exacerbated tensions between the federal government and Jubbaland's leadership.
Ahmed Madobe, who opposes Mogadishu's push for a "one person, one vote" election in 2026, has faced criticism after his reelection through an indirect electoral model, a stance the federal government has rejected.