Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe has made his sentiments clear that the state of Jubaland will stand as guardian of the Somali state and will not stay tight-lipped if the foundation of the state of Somalia is threatened by unilateral decision-making.
Speaking at a parked assembly in Mogadishu on Wednesday night ahead of the ongoing critical talks with the federal leaders, Madobe said Jubaland defends the national sovereignty of Somalia.

“We are here to safeguard Somalia’s statehood and seek solutions; we will not allow it to be undermined or destroyed,” said Madobe.

For months a flare of tensions has sparked the air between the federal government of Somalia and several federal member states, and the elephant in the room is the electoral framework, with the federal government’s new proposal to modernize the Somali democracy into a one-man-one-vote system receiving heavy criticism from Jubaland, who has said it lacked sufficient transparency.

Madobe has further highlighted that his mission in Mogadishu is to seek a solution, and he is open for negotiation provided the federal leadership is willing to give a listening ear.

Based on the recent declaration and the ongoing political temperature in Somalia, Jubaland is pushing for the return of a consultative process where regional leaders have a genuine seat at the table rather than just being asked to rubber-stamp decisions made in Mogadishu.

Jubaland has also joined Puntland in rejecting the one-person-one-vote system, raising concerns over the security situation in some areas, and they also have suspicion that the system is a plan to extend the current regime’s time in office if the logistics are not ready.

In Somalia, Madobe has maintained that Jubaland should be allowed to manage its own internal elections and have a transparent legal framework for how national revenue including port fees and international aid, is distributed to the regions. He wanted the talks to move beyond politics and include infrastructure development.
He also demanded a pause on amendments that fundamentally alter the power-sharing balance between the executive branch and the regions.

revenue, the Somali capital now prepares for another round of high-level talks; the international community is following keenly for the outcome of the historic talks. federal