Political tensions are escalating in Somalia’s central regional state of Galmudug amid growing disagreements among senior Somali leaders over the management of the upcoming presidential election, according to local officials and sources familiar with the discussions.
Reports from Dhuusamareeb, the administrative capital of Galmudug, suggest that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is backing Libaan Ahmed Hassan as the preferred candidate of the ruling Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) in the regional presidential race.
The reported endorsement has triggered resistance from Mahad Salad, a close political ally of the Somali president, who is also seeking to become the government-supported candidate for the position.
Sources close to Mahad Salad told local media that he is advocating for either an open and competitive electoral process or a “one person, one vote” system aimed at widening political participation in the state. The sources added that he believes dialogue and consensus-building should take priority in order to prevent tensions from escalating into conflict.
Meanwhile, incumbent Galmudug President Ahmed Abdi Kariye, commonly known as Qoorqoor, is reportedly mobilising security forces in both Dhuusamareeb and the town of Cadaado. The developments have raised concerns among residents and political observers, who fear the dispute could trigger a wider security crisis in the region.
Somalia’s federal government has not publicly commented on the reports, and uncertainty remains over how the electoral process in Galmudug will proceed.
Galmudug has long been regarded as one of Somalia’s politically sensitive federal member states, where disputes over elections and power-sharing arrangements have previously contributed to instability and armed confrontations between rival factions.
The latest disagreement comes at a delicate moment for Somalia as the country continues efforts to strengthen federal institutions, expand democratic processes, and maintain security gains against militant groups.
