MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somali police have received an order to arrest President Ahmed Madobe, following a Banadir regional court ruling in Mogadishu. Madobe faces treason charges for undermining Somalia’s unity and will become the first sitting regional leader to stand trial.
The arrest warrant comes just two days after Madobe was re-elected on Monday to lead Jubaland for another five-year term. His re-election, conducted through an indirect election, was deemed invalid by the Somali government for violating the country’s one-person, one-vote electoral system.
In response to his alleged electoral violation, the government deployed hundreds of Turkish-trained military and police forces to Ras Kamboni, a town in the Lower Jubba region about 274 km south of Kismayo, where Madobe’s presidential compound is located.
Madobe, in turn, sent his own forces to the area and established defensive positions near Ras Kamboni to block any movement towards Kismayo. Since Monday, both sides have been in a tense standoff following his re-election.
During his first term in 2013, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud clashed with Madobe when he refused to step down, sparking several days of fighting in Kismayo. Madobe ultimately held his ground and has continued to lead Jubaland since.
However, concerns are rising that Kismayo could see a repeat of the 2013 clashes. The standoff between Presidents Madobe and Mohamud threatens the city’s stability, with risks of civilian displacement and casualties.
