MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia is heading towards disaster because of poor leadership, authorities in the semi-autonomous Jubaland region have said, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of dashing hopes that he would steer the country towards stability and prosperity.
Speaking on Wednesday, Jubaland’s Minister of Interior, Mohamed Hussein Ogle, said Somalis had initially placed great confidence in President Mohamud but were now deeply disappointed by his leadership.
“The Somali people hoped President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud would lead the country to a better and more prosperous future,” Mr Ogle said. “Instead, he has become a recipe for disaster and a source of regret, even for those who voted for him.”
Mr Ogle warned that Somalia was at a “very dangerous crossroads”, with the federal government’s mandate due to expire within weeks, raising concerns about political uncertainty and institutional paralysis.
His remarks came ahead of a planned conference in the southern port city of Kismayo, bringing together opposition figures and the leaders of Jubaland and Puntland. The meeting is intended to forge a common position on Somalia’s political future and address what organisers describe as a worsening political crisis.
According to Mr Ogle, the summit aims to “correct the course” of Somalia’s politics and return the country to constitutional order.
“The Kismayo conference is about joining forces to ensure Somalia gets leadership that governs by the rule of law and the constitution,” he said, “not by the personal ambitions or whims of one individual.”
Relations between the federal government in Mogadishu and some regional states have been strained in recent years, particularly over electoral processes, constitutional reforms and the balance of power between the centre and the regions.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s office has not yet responded to the latest criticism.
