MOGADISHU, Somalia (Horn Life) — A high-profile delegation led by former Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, was prevented from traveling to Baidoa on Tuesday, as political tensions escalate in the country’s South West state.
The delegation, which included several members of the Somali Federal Parliament, was en route to Baidoa, the capital of the Bay region and the administrative seat of South West state. But their travel plans were abruptly halted after, they claim, local authorities intervened to block their departure.
The incident comes amid growing friction between opposition lawmakers and South West state President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. With a regional presidential election expected in the coming months, political stakes have intensified, with critics accusing the current administration of suppressing opposition voices and stalling the electoral process.
Speaking to journalists in Mogadishu, MP Mohamed Abdi, a member of the blocked delegation, accused President Laftagareen of orchestrating the travel ban by directing local airlines not to fly them to Baidoa.
“The airline we were booked on told us directly, ‘We can’t take those passengers,’” MP said. “They received orders not to transport us. That’s how our journey was shut down.”
The delegation also included MPs Mohamed Abuukar Abdi, Mohamed Abdi Mohamed, Mukhtaar Mohamed Guuleed, Mohamed Keerow Mohamed, and Hawo Sokor Ali — all federal lawmakers hailing from South West state.
The lawmakers plan to hold a press conference in Mogadishu in the coming hours to outline their response and clarify their position on the unfolding political crisis in the region.
While no official date has been announced, the South West presidential election is widely expected to take place in the coming months. However, opposition figures say the current leadership has failed to establish a transparent electoral timeline and has actively worked to sideline political challengers.
The escalating dispute could further destabilize an already fragile political landscape in Somalia, where regional and federal power struggles often disrupt governance and exacerbate insecurity.
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