Leaders of Somalia’s Jubaland and Puntland regions are expected to meet in Nairobi this week to discuss forming a new political alliance aimed at challenging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has recently consolidated power through a series of strategic alliances.
Reports indicate that Puntland’s leader, Saeed Abdullahi Deni, departed Bosaso on Tuesday, heading to Nairobi, where Jubaland’s leader, Ahmed Madobe, has already arrived. Madobe has been engaged in talks with Kenyan officials and Somali political figures ahead of the high-stakes negotiations.
Once adversaries, Deni and Madobe have decided to put aside their past differences and revive their alliance in a unified effort to oppose President Hassan, who returned to office in 2022. Their renewed cooperation is driven by a shared belief that Villa Somalia—the presidential palace—has sidelined them from critical national affairs.
According to The Somali Guardian, the federal government is working to undermine the two leaders’ influence by supporting a rival administration in Jubaland aimed at unseating Ahmed Madobe. In Puntland, the government is backing Police Chief Asad Osman Diyano, a figure closely aligned with a powerful local security force.
These maneuvers have escalated tensions in northern Galkayo, where forces loyal to both sides have been deployed, raising fears of a potential armed confrontation. The standoff unfolds as President Hassan advances his push for a one-person, one-vote electoral system.
However, many regional leaders argue that the country’s persistent insecurity—particularly the strong presence of Al-Shabaab across large swaths of territory—renders such a plan impractical at this stage.
While President Hassan has succeeded in bringing several key regional figures into his fold, Deni and Madobe appear determined to resist what they see as an overreach of presidential power.
The Somali government has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the Nairobi meeting.
Meanwhile, the location of the talks could have diplomatic implications for Kenya. Some observers are drawing comparisons to a recent episode in which Kenya faced sharp criticism for hosting members of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nairobi. In February 2025, the RSF and allied groups signed a charter in the Kenyan capital to form a parallel government in Sudan—prompting Khartoum to recall its ambassador and accuse Kenya of violating its sovereignty and international law.
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