By Goth Mohamed Goth
HARGEISA, Somaliland – The Ministry of Local Governments and Urban Development has officially authorized an extraordinary session of the Hargeisa District Council, clearing the way for a formal vote on the removal of the city’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
In a directive issued on May 11, 2026, Minister Hassan Ahmed Ducaale (Macalin) approved the session in response to a written request submitted by six council members on May 9, 2026. The letter, bearing reference number WDH&HM/XW/484/09/2026, was addressed to the Governor of Maroodi-Jeeh, the Mayor of Hargeisa (who also chairs the District Council), the Deputy Mayor, and all council members, with copies sent to senior ministry officials.
Legal Framework Cited
The Minister’s decision invokes Article 51, Section (B) of the Regional and District Administration Law No. 23/2019, which grants one-third of a district council’s members the right to petition for an extraordinary session. The approval also references Article 51, Section 4, requiring that the rationale for such a session be explicitly outlined in the meeting agenda
According to the letter, the six council members have proposed a motion of no confidence specifically seeking the removal of both the Mayor and their Deputy — a significant political step under Somaliland’s local governance laws
Session Scheduled for Tuesday
The extraordinary session is set to take place on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 7:30 AM local time. The Minister has further instructed the Governor of Maroodi-Jeeh region to ensure the session is duly convened.
The letter concludes with a standard Islamic invocation, “ALLA MAHAD LEH” (Praise be to God), and was issued from the Ministry’s office in the Shacab area, behind the Ministry of Livestock, in Hargeisa.
Political Implications
The approval marks a rare and accelerated procedural move within Hargeisa’s local government. Should the session proceed as scheduled, council members will deliberate and vote on the motion — a process that, if successful, would trigger a leadership vacuum and likely require the election of a new mayor. Observers note that the short timeline between the request (May 9) and the approved session (May 12) underscores the urgency or political weight behind the six members’ initiative.
As of this writing, no public statement has been issued by the Mayor’s office or the council members who submitted the motion
Based on official correspondence from the Ministry of Local Governments and Urban Development of the Republic of Somaliland, dated May 11, 2026.
