𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐚, 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 – The Southwest State Government is facing mounting criticism after illegally 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏𝟎 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐌𝐏𝐬) in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Reports from Baidoa indicate that the current administration, led by 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐳 𝐋𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧, has discreetly removed these MPs and reinstated a former Speaker of Parliament to oversee the election process, which is set to take place within a month.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐏𝐬 were known for 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, particularly during his previous term as president. Their sudden replacement suggests a calculated move to eliminate political dissent and secure a controlled electoral process. These actions have been carried out secretly, with efforts to avoid scrutiny from Villa Somalia and opposition groups who have been vocal about the need for free and fair elections.
The move is seen as 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 (𝐍𝐂𝐂) 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, which Laftagareen himself signed. The agreement, endorsed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, explicitly outlines the need for direct elections across all federal states, including Southwest State. However, by removing opposition MPs and restructuring the parliament behind closed doors, Laftagareen’s administration is undermining the principles of democratic governance and fair representation.
Already, families and clan members of the illegally replaced MPs have started raising their concerns through the media, accusing President Laftagareen of political targeting. These grievances reflect broader frustrations with an administration that has repeatedly silenced opposition voices and restricted political freedoms.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐏𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫—it has serious implications for the stability of Southwest State. With Al-Shabaab militants maintaining strongholds just outside Baidoa, any further political unrest could weaken governance and create opportunities for extremist expansion.
𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬, 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 are now being urged to intervene and demand transparency in the electoral process. If these concerns are not addressed, Southwest risks further political instability, deepening its crisis at a time when Somalia is striving for democratic reforms and national unity.
