Somalia’s Political Heavyweights Unite Ahead of 2026 Polls
In a seismic shift that could redefine Somalia’s political future, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has stitched together a coalition of former foes, launching a powerful new political vehicle — the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) — as he eyes the country’s first one-person, one-vote elections in more than five decades.
The party, unveiled Tuesday evening in Mogadishu, unites sworn political adversaries from federal and regional powerhouses — some of whom have spent years trading barbs, clashing over control, and undermining each other’s authority. Now, they sit shoulder to shoulder in a party many are calling the most formidable political force Somalia has seen in the post-civil war era.
“This country cannot afford to tear itself apart every five years,” President Hassan declared at the launch. “We need continuity, cohesion, and institutions that survive beyond individuals.”
The party’s inner circle reads like a who’s who of Somali political heavyweights — and former enemies.
In Galmudug, federal MP Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein (Odowaa), regional President Ahmed Abdi Karie (Qoorqoor), and ex-NISA boss Mahad Mohamed Salad — once locked in a bruising contest for control of the state — are now party colleagues. Odowaa serves as Secretary General.
In the Southwest, Speaker Sheikh Adan Madobe and President Abdiaziz Laftagareen — longtime rivals for influence in federal affairs — now share the same political platform. Joining them is former Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur (Jamac), who previously navigated tensions with both men to remain in the cabinet. Even Mukhtar Robow, once detained in a move that cleared the way for Laftagareen’s presidency, is now part of the fold.
“This isn’t just a party — it’s a strategic political machine,” said Dr. Abdinasir Mohamed, a political scientist at Mogadishu University.
“It reflects a rare moment of political maturity where personal grudges are being set aside for broader national alignment.”
The formation of the Unity and Justice Party comes as Somalia prepares for its first nationwide direct vote since 1969 — a landmark moment in a country long mired in clan-based electoral bargaining.
By uniting figures who once operated as power centres unto themselves, President Mohamud appears to be betting on a new political formula: one that merges loyalty, reconciliation, and national appeal into a singular campaign vehicle.
“While opposition groups remain scattered and reactive, the president is building a disciplined political infrastructure ahead of the 2026 showdown,” said Fadumo Warsame of the Hiraal Institute.
“It puts the opposition on notice.”
“He’s taken his fiercest critics, turned them into allies, and given them a stake in the same future,” added Dr. Osman Ahmed, a Nairobi-based Horn of Africa analyst. “This party could dominate the upcoming polls — if it holds.”
Since the fall of Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has staggered through civil war, warlordism, and fragile transitional governments.
The current federal system emerged in 2000, relying on a clan-based “4.5 formula” that allocates power among Somalia’s major clans and minorities — but has long been criticized for entrenching division and hindering democracy.
The transition to one-person, one-vote elections, targeted for 2026, is seen as a historic step forward — but remains fraught with challenges. Security threats from al-Shabaab, weak electoral infrastructure, and distrust between federal and state authorities continue to test Somalia’s democratic aspirations.
Still, with the emergence of the Justice and Unity Party, President Hassan Sheikh may have pulled off a rare political masterstroke — uniting fractured elites just in time for Somalia’s biggest democratic test in generations.
By Radio Dalsan.
