MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s shadowy power broker Fahad Yasin, long regarded as one of the country’s most influential political figures, has resurfaced at the center of national politics with the launch of a new alliance and a handpicked presidential hopeful ahead of the 2026 elections.
The alliance, unveiled Monday, brings together a constellation of seasoned political figures under the banner of the National Pride Alliance. Among its leading members are former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, former Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled, ex-Security Minister Mohamed Abukar Islow, and former Mogadishu Mayor Thabit Abdi Mohamed. The coalition signals a renewed effort by Somalia’s veteran politicians – many returning after years of political hiatus – to reassert their influence over the country’s fragile power structure.
At the center of this political reawakening stands Yasin, a onetime journalist for Al Jazeera in Mogadishu who evolved into a strategic operative deeply embedded in Somalia’s political fabric. Linked to Qatari intelligence and foreign policy circles, Yasin played a decisive role in two of the country’s past three presidential elections, helping Hassan Sheikh Mohamud secure victory in 2012 and Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in 2017.
His alliances with both presidents eventually soured. After Mohamud’s win, Yasin’s appointment as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications quickly ended in resignation, marking the first rupture in their partnership. Five years later, as Farmaajo’s intelligence chief, Yasin wielded unparalleled authority within the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), a tenure marred by accusations of abuse, political manipulation, and election delays that deepened national instability.
After 2022 elections, Yasin’s alliance with Farmaajo collapsed amid electoral defeat and public discontent. Now, seeking a political resurrection, he has turned to Shirdon – Somalia’s former prime minister – as the figurehead of his new movement. The National Pride Alliance, reportedly buoyed by Qatari financial and diplomatic backing, aims to position itself as a formidable force against the ruling establishment ahead of the 2026 presidential contest.
Despite Yasin’s reputation as a master strategist, the path forward remains uncertain. Persistent disputes between federal and regional leaders, coupled with speculation of a term extension by the current administration, have cast doubt on whether the 2026 elections will proceed as scheduled.
Yasin, who has publicly described himself as an Islamist with past ties to the Al-Itihad movement of the 1990s, continues to embrace religious conservatism in contrast to Somalia’s largely secular political elite. Clan arithmetic – a defining factor in Somali politics – effectively bars him from seeking the presidency himself, yet his ambition to shape the nation’s leadership from behind the scenes remains undiminished.
Whether Fahad Yasin can orchestrate a third presidential triumph – and reassert his grip on Somalia’s volatile political stage – will test not only his influence but the resilience of a nation still struggling to balance power, patronage, and peace.
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