Follow-ups: HAPC Monitoring Unit,
Date: March, 2026
Without prior notice, former Interior Minister Abdulrahman Mohamed Oduwa submitted a motion last Wednesday His resignation from the position of Secretary-General of the ruling party, the Justice and Solidarity Party, as well as his final departure from the party membership after more than a decade of affiliation with this party.
Abdirahman Odowa revealed that the decision to resign came after prolonged disagreements with the party leader, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the current president of Somalia. He described these disagreements as stemming from several aspects, most notably the centralization of decision-making within both the party and the government. He accused President Hassan Sheikh of ignoring all opinions and viewpoints and failing to consult with key stakeholders and advisors to state institutions.
Oduah criticized the constitutional amendment process announced weeks ago, explaining that it had made matters worse by deepening the division among Somalis and undermining the basic principle of federalism and decentralized governance.
Oduah indicated that the disagreements between him and President Hassan Sheikh also concerned the country’s electoral model, suggesting that there were attempts to create an environment to control election results in advance at a time when there was a need to follow a suitable consensus-based approach to strengthen and consolidate Somalia’s fragile political environment.
In his statement, Oduah affirmed: “Starting today, I will chart a different political course for myself, and my allegiance will only be to those who share with me the principles of Somali unity and national cohesion.”
Oduwa added that there are attempts to weaken some of the member states represented in the federal government, noting their importance as a pillar of the Somali federal system.
Oduah condemned the imposition of restrictions on the movement of MPs, noting that these measures have no legal basis, but rather constitute a violation of parliamentary immunity and the basic rights of the member of parliament.
Abdulrahman Oduwa coincided with rising tensions within the Justice and Solidarity Party, with reports indicating that several members have recently been dissatisfied with the federal government’s handling of the political conflict, particularly in the Southwest State.
Observers describe the divisions as reflecting a dangerous development in the deteriorating political situation in Somalia, and opening up a wide field of discussion about the possibility of governance failure within constitutional reforms that do not take into account the balance of political power between the federal government and regional administrations. In addition, if the ruling party has not already reached an internal consensus on the party’s decisions and directions, how can it find national consensus between it and other political forces and entities?
