Wednesday August 27, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Kenya has launched an effort to mediate
between Somalia’s federal government and the semi-autonomous Jubbaland
administration as tensions escalate over constitutional changes and electoral
reforms, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
The initiative aims to bring Somali President Hassan Sheikh
Mohamud and Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe to the negotiating table for a
face-to-face meeting, sources told Hiiraan Online on condition of anonymity.
The push follows weeks of political friction that has fueled
clashes between federal troops and Jubbaland forces in Raskamboni and Beled
Hawo, both near the Kenya-Somalia border. Fighting has spilled over, affecting
Kenyan border towns.
Officials in Kismayo confirmed Nairobi’s interest in
mediating but said they had not received a formal agreement from Villa Somalia.
Jubbaland authorities accused the presidency of spreading “misleading
information” after Mogadishu dismissed reports of a recent phone call between
Mohamud and Madobe as “fake.”
The crisis comes amid sharp divisions over proposed
amendments to Somalia’s constitution and electoral process, with analysts
warning the dispute could destabilize the fragile federal system.
Kenya’s move reflects growing concern about security and
political stability in the region. Nairobi has long played a role in Somali
peace efforts and hosts thousands of Somali refugees, while also contributing
troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission.
Neither Mogadishu nor Nairobi has publicly commented on the
mediation effort.