MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, widely known as Madobe, revealed his intention to run in Somalia’s 2026 presidential election, disclosing his ambitions during high-level meetings with politicians and business leaders in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, marking a pivotal moment in his political career after more than a decade at the helm of the regional state, Caasimada Online news website reported on Tuesday.
Madobe’s revelation came at the conclusion of a two-week visit to Kenya, where he informed MPs and prominent business figures of his decision to vie for the Somali presidency for the first time.
Despite repeated efforts by successive Somali federal administrations to dismantle his over decade-long rule in Jubaland, Madobe has consistently outmaneuvered his adversaries, leveraging a combination of political shrewdness and military strategy to maintain an unyielding grip on power.
However, his re-election in last year’s contentious indirect polls in Kismayo has drawn severe repercussions, with Mogadishu imposing a crippling economic and air blockade on Jubaland, exacerbating tensions and isolating the region.
The situation escalated further when Madobe’s forces decisively repelled Somali government troops deployed to strategic towns in a failed attempt to oust him, leaving the federal government with limited political options and effectively shutting the door on negotiations.
Madobe’s presidential bid follows a precedent set by other regional leaders, including former Puntland President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who won the 2004 election held in Kenya, and current Puntland leader Saeed Abdullahi Deni, who contested the 2022 presidential race while still in office, highlighting a recurring trend of regional powerbrokers seeking the nation’s highest office.
