Sunday February 2, 2025
Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe disembarks from a Freedom Airlines flight in Kismayo on Sunday after a visit to Nairobi, Kenya. His return comes amid ongoing tensions with Somalia’s federal government.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe has reportedly returned to Kismayo following a brief visit to Nairobi, Kenya, as tensions between his administration and Somalia's federal government remain unresolved.
Jubaland state media and officials close to President Madobe released a brief video showing his arrival in Kismayo, the region's interim capital. His return comes after spending several weeks in Nairobi.
The Somali federal government had attempted to impose a travel ban on Madobe following its rejection of his re-election as president of Jubaland. The central government argued that the vote held under Madobe's administration lacked transparency and legitimacy, escalating tensions between the two sides.
According to local reports, Madobe's recent trip to Nairobi was reportedly driven by urgent medical needs. However, it quickly reignited tensions between Mogadishu and Nairobi. The Somali government filed a complaint with Kenya, objecting to the unauthorized entry of a Kenya-registered aircraft into Somali airspace to transport Madobe. While officials denied summoning Somalia's ambassador to Kenya over the incident, they maintained that the trip had violated protocol.
Madobe, a prominent opponent of the federal government's efforts to implement a nationwide one-person, one-vote electoral system, boycotted the most recent National Consultative Forum session, which sought to build consensus on the electoral process. Citing concerns about federal overreach, he withdrew from the most recent session of the National Consultative Forum, which was intended to coordinate electoral plans and address regional grievances.
Attempts to mediate the political dispute have so far been ineffective. Although a group of business leaders from Jubaland made efforts to broker peace, no formal negotiations have taken place. Many fear the prolonged standoff could weaken Somalia's state-building efforts, further deepening the political fragmentation that has plagued the country for years.