MOGADISHU, Somalia — Authorities in Somalia on Wednesday blocked several ministers and lawmakers from South West State from boarding flights to Baidoa.
The move comes after South West State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen rejected recent constitutional changes that grant President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud a one-year extension.
Laftagareen said he recognizes only the 2012 provisional constitution, rejecting the changes as corrupt and challenging Mohamud’s push for a one-person, one-vote system.
The officials were stopped at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu while attempting to travel to Baidoa, the capital of the Bay region.
The federal government had also halted flights to Baidoa a day earlier as tensions escalated.
On Tuesday, South West authorities announced they were cutting ties with the federal government, accusing Mogadishu of military mobilization to oust Laftagareen.
In a statement, the Ministry of Interior said the federal government “condemns” the decision and will continue to carry out its constitutional responsibilities in South West regions.
The federal government also urged South West State to remain engaged in reconciliation efforts and the country’s democratization process, including ongoing constitutional reforms.
The dispute comes at a sensitive time, with broader political tensions linked to federal elections and recent constitutional amendments signed by Mohamud.
This marks the third regional state to cut ties with President Mohamud over disputed constitutional changes and election reforms.
Mohamud is expected to benefit from a one-year extension to his term under the proposed changes, despite having about two months remaining in his current four-year mandate after being sworn in on May 15, 2022.
He has been pushing for a one-person, one-vote electoral system, a move rejected by Jubaland and Puntland, as well as prominent opposition leaders based in Mogadishu.
Analysts warn Somalia risks a repeat of the 2021 crisis, when then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo extended his term under similar circumstances, triggering armed clashes in Mogadishu before a return to indirect elections to ease tensions.
