MOGADISHU — Somali federal lawmaker Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odawaa has resigned as Secretary General of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), which is led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Odawaa cited deep disagreements over governance, constitutional amendments, and the country’s electoral process.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on March 25, 2026, Odawaa announced his resignation from both the party leadership and his membership, accusing the president of sidelining party leaders and consolidating decision-making authority.
“Today, March 25, 2026, I officially resign from the position of Secretary General and also from my membership in the Justice and Solidarity Party,” Odawaa said. “This resignation is due to deep differences of opinion that have existed between me and the chairman of the JSP Party and the President of the Republic, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.”
Odawaa, a longtime ally of the president, criticized what he described as unilateral decision-making within the party and government. He accused President Mohamud of failing to consult party leadership and disregarding differing views on national governance.
He also objected to the recently approved constitutional amendments, which extend the mandate of federal institutions by one year, arguing that the process lacked consensus and risked undermining Somalia’s federal system.
“We have different opinions with the president on the country’s electoral system,” Odawaa said. “The president has insisted on establishing an electoral system in which he can control the results. I believe elections should be agreed upon by all political stakeholders, given our country’s vulnerability to political conflict and instability.”
The lawmaker further criticized federal policies toward regional administrations, warning against actions he said could weaken Somalia’s federal structure. He condemned restrictions imposed on lawmakers and citizens traveling within and outside the country, particularly the reported prevention of federal MPs from leaving Mogadishu.
“Preventing a national parliamentarian with immunity from traveling is an unjustifiable violation of the law and an affront to the independence of parliament,” he said.
Odawaa’s resignation marks the second high-profile departure from the JSP in recent days, following the resignation of Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen from the party. The developments reflect widening political divisions as tensions escalate between the federal government and several regional administrations.
President Mohamud’s current term is scheduled to end in May 2026, although the recently amended constitution extends the mandate of federal institutions by one year. The extension has been rejected by Puntland, Jubbaland, and Southwest State, as well as opposition groups, raising concerns about the risk of parallel political processes.
